Never Meet Your Heroes
by A. S. Oswald
Summary: Usually, falling into your favourite fandom is an exciting, cliché and romantic fairytale. However reality is never so kind. Being trapped in the Victorian Era isn't fun. Now fiction comes to life in horrific ways as Blaire is tangled up in the adventures of Ciel and Sebastian, becoming a mystery for them to solve. Realistic approach to fan falls into fandom.
1. The City is a Ghost

**The City is a Ghost**

Blaire stood frozen in awe at the scene in front of her. She blinked several times, before taking her sunglasses off and taking a step forward in a bid to get closer to the display happening before her wide eyes. The cold drink she held in her hand clattered to the ground, its contents freezing on the ice upon which she stood almost instantly.

_What the...?_

She wrapped her arms around herself at the sudden onslaught of chilly air that was being carried by the wind in a winter's kiss. Goosebumps coated her bronzed limbs as her wide coffee-coloured eyes continued to take in the familiar pair of characters in front of her, as well as the icy landscape which surrounded them. Her mind raced.

_It wasn't winter before! It's the middle of July! _

Her tank top and shorts really weren't helpful given the frigid temperature she presently found herself subject to. The sunglasses perched on her forehead looked truly out of place and the leather bag pack on her person weighed down on her shoulders heavily. Her ponytail brushed against her upper back as her head swivelled around.

_How much did I drink?_

It can't have been real. A dream, perhaps?

_Maybe I had an accident on the beach and this is the effect of the morphine in hospital? Oh no... Am I in a coma?_

She barely noticed the scandalized looks directed her way, nor did she notice the utterances under the breaths of those dressed much more conservatively than she. None of them mattered, as there stood several feet away, was Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis. Or at least, very good cosplayers.

Even from the distance at which they stood, she could tell that they had the likeness down perfectly. Though, rather than having the blue/grey hair that Ciel had in the animation, from what Blaire was able to see, it seemed as though this cosplayer had used their own dark brown, almost black hair. It was difficult to tell, as his head was mostly covered by an expensive-looking black fur cloak. However, she could see that "Ciel's" hair wasn't as dark as Sebastian's, whose rich black locks framed his porcelain, angular face perfectly. Compared to the usual cosplay she'd seen, where the clothing was evidently a costume and the person clearly wearing a wig, they were utterly immaculate.

She stood still and completely stunned. Everything around her seemed so incredibly real. She felt the solid, icy ground beneath her trainers and the biting crisp air which was thick with soot. The sudden change in air quality made her cough lightly. Clouds of thick black smog could be seen in the distance over a dreary grey sky and the stench of herbs and body odour offended her sense of smell. She frowned at that observation.

_Does nobody know deodorant's a thing?_

Her slender nose wrinkled. She finally understood why people did drugs. All of this came out of her imagination? Even the bystanders were dressed in Victorian clothing, dainty women in their fur cloaks hung on the arms of dapper gentlemen. Children dressed for the era littered the flock of people which seemed to be making up an audience, all of whom were now ostracizing her critically. Some were more subtle, sending her a side glance, before turning away embarrassed and pointedly coughing into their hand. Some would blatantly stare, before turning to whomever they were with and pointing her out. She only heard the vaguest utterances of "Most improper!" and "Harlot!" Mothers and fathers would grab a hold of their children, leaning down to murmur something inaudible to them. No doubt, a warning not to go near the "provocatively" dressed young woman. Some would even glare at her whilst covering their children's eyes.

She tried not to let herself feel embarrassed. They were merely figments of her imagination, after all.

Her attention was directed towards the Noah's Arc ice sculpture which was being presented. However, the audience paid the impressive model no mind.

Blaire frowned. Something wasn't right.

_Isn't Ciel supposed to be a child in the show? Like twelve or something?_

The cosplayer looked older! She shook her head. This wasn't an animation.

_They can't get everything right I suppose..._

She took notice of the judges, who too, seemed to pause to give her a once-over. The blonde dressed as The Lord Viscount Druitt seemed to look her up and down, eyes raking over her bare legs and arms. Try as she might, Blaire couldn't stop herself from beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable.

The presentation seemed to pause. The audience, having lost interest in the ice sculpture stopped to peer over at the brunette who was stood shivering in amongst the crowd. A circle seemed to form around her as people backed away to stare at her incredulously.

Blaire suddenly felt her face heat in embarrassment, contrasting with the cold which ate away at the rest of her body. Her heart rate began the ascent into palpitations, butterflies in her stomach became giant moths. She glanced sparingly around at the judgmental gazes of those that surrounded her. She wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow her whole. Now was normally the point at which she should be waking up, had she been dreaming.

_Definitely a coma. I'm lying in a hospital bed somewhere, in a vegetable state, being pumped full of morphine._

She heard someone pointedly clear their throat. Peering up, she was startled to see that the Ciel and Sebastian cosplayers had gotten closer.

The adolescent boy who resembled Ciel wore a disgusted expression. As he stood just taller than Blaire, he was peering down his nose at her revealing attire. His one visible eye was narrowed at the not-too-subtle makeup she wore and the swell of her breasts as accentuated by the thin material of her top. Even the prostitutes had more dignity than that! And now she had caused the entire presentation to come to a halt, possibly jeopardizing the entire case. He'd never win the Hope Diamond back at this rate!

Blaire swallowed thickly. She decided she absolutely did not like how real this felt.

_Could this possibly be real...? Surely, not._

A glance at the tall dark-haired male who was stood behind "Ciel" revealed he wore an uninterested, though vaguely disapproving expression. This close up, Blaire could see he even wore red contacts too! Through her humiliation, she had to marvel at the Sebastian lookalike's eyes. As she herself found the concept of contact lenses horrifying, she felt the need to congratulate him. Even if he was, possibly, a figment of her imagination.

"Who let the whore in here?" The Ciel lookalike spoke in a voice uncannily similar to the real article, though slightly deeper. Commanding and stiff with contempt. His shoulders were squared and his chin was raised. His gloved hand gripped the handle of his cane, the rings adorning his fingers had a healthy shine, even with what little daylight there was.

The young noble noted how the strange woman's eyes seemed to scan over him. She was clearly deeply impoverished, given the rags upon her shivering body. She was likely a common thief, examining what she could steal from his person.

Blaire stood gobsmacked.

_What the fuck? _

She pursed her lips, brows coming together and forming corrugations on her forehead. "I'm not a whore." She placed a hand on her hip, quirking a thin eyebrow at the blunt tone in which the boy addressed her.

_Who does the little cunt think he is?!_

The boy raised an eyebrow indignantly, continuing to stare. His arm extended to brandish his cane towards her. "How did you get in here?" He ignored her statement.

"I...I dunno I was just on the beach and then..." She frowned. What did happen? She couldn't even remember. She blew out a breath, trying not to panic. "Maybe I hit my head..." She muttered.

_Or maybe those brownies were dodgy after all. _

She gasped, eyes widening in mook realization. "Oh my god, Katie's finally got me back..."

Ciel's brows knitted. What on earth was she on about? He tutted in true English fashion. He'd had enough, and they had to be getting on with winning the presentation. "Sebastian," He began his order. "Remove this lunatic from my sight." He spat the words through gritted teeth.

The demon look-alike, who had remained silently analyzing the young female, placed a hand over his heart. "Yes, my Lord."

Blaire's eyes widened and a beaming grin spread across her face.

_Ohh are they staying in character?_

"That's so cool! You sound just like him!" She had to admire their voices and accents, even if they came across as a little snobbish.

The raven-haired male cocked an eyebrow as he advanced towards her. This young woman was clearly in the midst of a fit of hysteria. She desperately needed help.

Blaire staggered back from "Sebastian's" descending form, her trainers gently thudding against the icy ground. "Wait! Can I get a photo? That's some great cosplay, seriously." She reached into her pocket to pull out her phone, the screen coming to life immediately. With a few flicks of her thumb, the camera application was opened and she raised the device into the air. She turned so that she could get the two cosplayers in the frame.

"What is that thing?!" The Ciel lookalike exclaimed. He frowned as he saw himself on the little... Screen?

Blaire turned and looked at him strangely, eyebrows raised. "What do you think it is?" She deadpanned, before smirking coyly. "Obviously, it's a bomb." Her voice was laced heavily with sarcasm.

Ciel's eyes widened as he took several steps backwards.

_It's as if they've never seen a phone before, Jesus Christ. _

She grinned into the camera as her finger pressed against the volume button. The shutter sound effect immediately resounded from the small device.

Swiftly, a white-gloved hand seized her wrist in a vice, causing her to drop the phone. Blaire cursed loudly as she heard the device slam into the ground. A black polished boot then proceeded to stomp on the innocent object, crushing it into tiny pieces.

"What the fuck was that for?!" The enraged young female exclaimed, whipping her head around to glare at Sebastian. She had a good mind to slap him right across the face.

_He's so lucky I've got insurance for another year, I swear to fuck._

He only sent her a cold glare of his own. The tall male addressed her through gritted teeth. "It is most improper for a lady to use such coarse language. Although..." His eyes roamed over her shivering, exposed limbs. "You are hardly one of noble breeding. Quite the opposite, so I'm afraid I am going to have to remove you from the premises." He began to drag her through the group of staring onlookers, who briskly moved out of the way, lest they are seen too close to the lowly harlot. After all, protecting their reputation in upper-class society was of utmost importance.

"You motherfucker! That was my phone!" She yelled, attempting to pull her wrist free but it was in vain. His grip was just too tight.

His eyes flashed bright crimson, causing Blaire to falter and the air to leave her in a quick gasp. That was no trick of the light. Contact lenses certainly weren't responsible for that apparition. Her brown eyes were wild as she found herself unable to breathe. "Demon..." She whispered.

He heard her as he continued to tug her arm uncomfortably. His somewhat shocked gaze turned to her, sharp eyes narrowing in warning to keep her mouth shut.

"But it's not real..." She mumbled to herself. "They're just fiction..."

They quickly approached the outside of the crowd.

_Wait, if this is the ice episode... _

She turned to the butler frantically. "There's going to be an attack!" She screeched. She recalled the episode, 'His Butler on Ice', she remembered that men with guns opened fire amidst the crowd. Whatever the hell was going on, this felt real and if somehow it was, people were going to die.

The black-clad figure leaned in to hiss in her face. "I would advise that you return to whatever asylum or brothel from which you came."

She gazed at him moon-eyed. "But it's about the Hope Diamond, isn't it? The thieves you're looking for, they're here! People will be hurt."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "Ah, so you're a lowly thief then? I don't imagine your comrades will be too fond of you ratting them out-"

"I'm not one of them, but they're here. You have to believe me!" She interrupted him, frantic. She stood rubbing her hands together, which had now taken on a tinge of purple, much to her concern.

The butler stared at her questioningly. "Then how could you-"

"-There a problem over 'ere?"

The pair turned to see a police officer advancing towards them. He was a perfect stereotype of the time, dressed all in black with a handlebar moustache and tall hat to boot.

Sebastian spoke for her. "Yes, I'm afraid this young woman appears to have escaped from Bethlem Royal Hospital. May I suggest she be escorted back?"

_Oh, fuck no._

She backed away from the pair, only to be immediately seized by the demon butler.

"As you can see," He smirked down at her. "She is clearly very unwell. I trust you can take care of her?" His voice held a charming edge to it, making the officer blush lightly.

He scratched the back of his head, hesitantly coming towards her. "Right, y-yes, of course."

Immediately, she began to struggle against his hold. As she was being dragged away, she yelled at the top of her lungs: "Hey! Let me go! I'm not crazy!"

However, her cries fell on deaf ears. She was vaguely aware of the policeman calling for backup as she shouted at the smug butler. "I know what you are! I know what's going to happen! Who killed Ciel's-!" She was cut off by something blunt and heavy being slammed into the back of her head. Her vision tunnelled as she dropped to the icy ground, missing how the smirk fell from Sebastian's face and how the sounds of guns firing and people screaming began to fill the air. He immediately ran to keep his young Master safe, though his thoughts lingered on what the insane young woman had said.

The officer put his batton back on his belt, moving to pick her up with the help of two other identically dressed men. "Don't worry about her." He said to the others, who appeared to be quite shaken.

"They'll beat it out of her in Bedlam."

* * *

_When all has turned to dust_

_Our city is a ghost_


	2. Bring in the Night

**Bring in the Night**

The young noble stood at the window in his study. His boot tapped against the carpeted floor impatiently. His solemn gaze was fixated on the gardens below, the day having turned into night and casting the manor grounds into total darkness. Hearing the door begin to creak open, he stiffened his posture and brought his hands to clasp behind his back, adopting a rugged countenance. Even in the company of the demon servant, he couldn't help but keep up the act of nobility. Even when alone he maintained a habit of keeping the image of a Lord, just as he was always taught growing up. It was second nature by this point.

"Today has been an event." Came the smooth voice of Sebastian as he pushed the polished trolley into the spacious room.

"Quite." Ciel gave a curt nod.

"In several ways." The butler continued as he advanced, coming to a still by the oak writing desk.

"Hm... Did you ever dispose of that lunatic?" The young noble moved to sit down, looking up at the raven-haired demon.

"I believe Bethlem will take good care of her my Lord."

"She was very peculiar indeed." He mused. Truthfully, she had been at the back of his mind all day. She seemed quite the enigma.

"She seemed to know that the thieves would present themselves." Sebastian subtly presented the issue. If he could manipulate Ciel, catch his attention, he may be able to convince the young Earl to allow him to look into who exactly the young woman was. She appeared to have some kind of foresight and for a human, that was almost unheard of.

"Hardly surprising. Going by the rags she had on I can only assume she was one of them." Ciel tutted, rolling his eyes. The clatter of china against wood brought his attention to the steaming cup of tea placed in front of him.

"Indeed, that would appear the case. Though when she denied it, I sensed no mistruth on her part." Sebastian began, staring at the back of Ciel's head. "On top of that, she also seemed to know of my...true nature." He spoke the carefully selected words in an expertly calculated tone of voice. He knew how to wrap his "Master" around his finger, all the while the little twerp wasn't even aware of it.

As for the anonymous woman, she saw his eyes flash yes- but most humans attributed it to a trick of the light. These days people were notoriously superstitious and yet, completely blind when such a creature stared them right in the face. Truly pathetic.

But her. She instantly named his species. And her words spoken next, merely a whisper but were loud and clear to his evolutionary enhanced ears.

"_But it's not real... They're just fiction."_

What exactly did she mean by that? He could attribute it to madness, however, her parting words before she was knocked out struck a chord in him.

_"I know what you are! I know what's going to happen! Who killed Ciel's-"_

As the demon expected, this reveal caught the young Lord's attention. "Oh? And how is that?" He looked up at the butler, who now harboured a slyish cast about him. He raised an eyebrow. The oil lamp which sat on the desk projected eerie shadows into the demon's ivory face but he could no longer find it within himself to be spooked by the beast's sometimes threatening appearance. When he had first summoned him, perhaps.

"Unclear. With your permission my Lord, I'd like to find out." There. He could be more blunt about his intentions now that Ciel was eager for answers. More eager than he would let on, at any rate.

The young noble weighed up his options. Sebastian was deadly efficient, and would likely have the information that he wanted- no, desperately needed fairly quickly. If other people found out about his demon butler, his reputation in upper-class society would be tarnished beyond repair. The woman would have to be silenced.

"...Fine." He finally answered the demon, before he added. "And find out how she knew about the thieves. If she's a spy, kill her."

"Yes, my Lord." The demon placed a hand over his heart as he gave a swift bow. A genuine grin spread across his devilish face which appeared almost menacing in the shadows cast by the orange light of the oil lamp.

* * *

When Blaire had awoken she felt sore all over. Her neck, limbs, back, all stiff, all cold. So cold. As polar as the ice she had dreamt that she stood upon.

Her head was laying on the dusty concrete floor, littered slightly with what Blaire could only identify as some kind of rubble. Possibly debris from the damp, peeling walls. Or at least, the upper part of the wall that wasn't padded. The most interesting thing about the rather cramped, dull space was the heavy steel door and the patterns of grime which coated it. Hardly any daylight was able to penetrate the lifeless room, which barely emitted from a window which was situated somewhere behind her. Calling it a room was far too generous. What was a better word? Ah yes.

A cell.

It was disgusting. Utterly revolting. She could see a window above the door which led who knows where. Well, she thought it was a window. The level of filth over it was opaque, like a stagnant green pond. Riddled with bacteria. Toxic scum.

_Why am I in a cell?_

She struggled to sit upright from where she was haphazardly thrown onto the ground. Only to panic when she was unable to move her arms. Looking down, her breathing hitched.

_Talk about a hangover from hell. _She thought darkly, before beginning to struggle against the plain linen material restricting her arms.

"A fucking straight jacket! What the fuck is going on?!" She exclaimed.

What she found more disturbing, was the off-white skirt she was stuffed into. It came to her ankles and fit poorly, already covered in dirt from where she lay on the cold, hard ground. Moving to lift her leg up revealed her trainers had been replaced with plain white stockings, also discoloured. She couldn't feel her shorts underneath the offending garment, and rubbing her thighs together confirmed her suspicions.

Who changed her?! And where were her clothes and her bag?! She felt disgusting.

Her breathing came out as pained wheezing, panic set in as the restrictive jacket combined with the cramped cell and made her feel incredibly claustrophobic. Her heart frantically hammered against her ribcage. "Alright, I've got the joke! Someone let me out!" Her voice failed to echo amidst the padded chamber, disturbing the brunette and adding to the fear of enclosed spaces she currently harboured.

This had to be somebody's idea of a sick joke. It had to be. There was no other plausible explanation. She must have been badly hungover. It would certainly explain the Black Butler hallucinations. It would explain her lapse in memory before the fact. And above all, it would explain why she felt like she had been hit in the head with a bat... Just like the policeman had in her dream.

She stopped struggling, now feeling incredibly fatigued and sore. The back of her head throbbed, causing her brows to crease together in frustration as she was unable to reach up to rub it.

"Hello?! Let me out of here! Bitch!" She screeched, surely ripping her vocal cords but she didn't care. "If you don't let me out of here right now you're in so much trouble!" When she got her hands on whoever was responsible, she was going to jail. She made up her mind- she would do jail time for whoever did this.

"Katie is this you?!"

There wasn't any response. She sighed shakily, casting her dark eyes up to the ceiling. Only to immediately wrinkle her nose at the dirt conglomerating in every possible crevasse. She felt her eyes begin to burn.

_I'm not going to cry._ She promised herself.

She wasn't one for tears, to the point of pride. Her stiff joints ached against the cold concrete of the floor. She desired for nothing more than to lay down in the nice, warm bed at the hotel and forget about everything.

She cast her mind back to the dream she had. Where she was landed in the Victorian Era with Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis. That was a much better dream than this, utter nightmare. She replayed the events in her mind. From Ciel's utter contempt with which he addressed her, to Sebastian telling the officer she had escaped from-

Bethlem.

Her eyes widened. Bethlem?

She took in the padded cell once more. Did that actually happen?

The events were a blur. She vaguely recalled struggling against a policeman, shouting something incoherent towards a very smug-looking Sebastian cosplayer.

This had gone far enough. Her head swivelled around the cell as she desperately tried to locate any cameras. Any detail out of place, anything which would alert her to the fact that this wasn't really happening. That it was just a prank and then she could laugh it off and spend the rest of the night in a bar.

People don't fall into their favourite TV show. It just doesn't happen. That stuff was the work of fanfiction. Not reality.

Her back finally came to rest against the padded wall. She resigned herself to staring blankly at the remarkably empty space in front of her.

* * *

Night had finally begun to fall and plunge the dingy cell into darkness. It felt as though she had been there for an eternity. She longed for freedom of movement, for fresh air. The air around her was stale and exceedingly stuffy. Not a single noise kept her company, except for the sounds of her own breathing.

Her neglected stomach grumbled and her dry mouth longed for a drop of water. She sighed.

Eventually, boredom had consumed her entirely and she had taken to pacing the floor. This, however, proved to be quite challenging due to the limited floor space. The thin stockings didn't offer much resistance against the cold concrete either. She quickly found herself yearning to be able to rub her chilled feet between both of her hands, to create some form of friction in a desperate attempt to get them warm. For the umpteenth time, she cursed her useless arms which lay trapped, folded against her chest in a prison of unsightly off-white linen.

She jumped, as the sounds of keys rattling on the other side of the door sent the young woman into a frenzy. As the door was slowly creaked open, anticipation swelled in her stomach. As well as anxiety. However, she swiftly threw those thoughts to the side, as she was resolute in her decision to viciously confront whatever scum bag did this to her.

"Were you planning on leaving me to rot here, then?" She snapped as she heard footsteps enter the room.

Looking up revealed a stoic-looking woman who was stood brandishing an oil lamp towards the darkened cell. Blaire frowned at the woman's attire. She wore a plain black dress which fell to her ankles and a white apron which stopped just above the bottom of the hideous frock. A white bonnet adorned her head of dark hair, however, Blaire was unable to make out the exact colour or any notable feature of her face in the lamplight.

"You've to come with me." She said curtly. Blaire noted the English accent.

She moved to stand with great difficulty, as she was unable to use her arms. Ignoring the pins and needles in her legs, she staggered forward, grateful to finally be able to have some kind of freedom.

"Actually, I just want to go home so if you could show me the way out, I'd appreciate it." She grumbled, struggling to walk with both of her arms pinned against her.

The nurse didn't bat an eyelid. She had learned to harden herself against the feelings of guilt when patients had to go and see the Doctor. It was for their own good, to help them get better. The jaded nurse found herself numb to the crying and pleading of the patients who begged to leave.

"Come with me." She repeated, turning to leave.

Believing the woman to be taking her to the exit, she followed obediently. As the older woman turned to lock the door behind them, Blaire observed the darkened hallways in which she found herself.

She could barely make out the high ceilings and arching pillars in the dark. Gas laps ran down the corridor which seemed to stretch on and on, never-ending. Leading into a deep, dark abyss. The floor and walls weren't in a much better condition than the cell she had been occupying and tiny windows on the upper portion of the damp walls gave Blaire a glimpse into the darkened sky for the first time.

"How long was I in there?" She asked sharply, not bothering to hide the resentment in her tone.

The nurse turned to bypass Blaire, expecting her to follow. "I'm not sure, sorry." She lied. In truth, she knew full well that the woman had been in the padded cell for upwards of six hours. When the police had come in carrying the unconscious woman, she had been shocked. The Constable had insisted that she had escaped and that they tighten up security, claiming that she had taken a fit and lashed out at them.

What kind of woman tries to attack a policeman? An unhinged one. A barmy one. And her clothing! Only an insane person would wear those rags during winter.

He was unable to give them a name but he seemed sure of himself. And he was with the police, who were they to disagree? They would get her name off of her later. Their main priority was keeping up appearances in front of the police and restraining the madwoman.

"Can you at least take off this thing?" Blaire tried as she followed after the other woman. Her feet padded nimbly along the concrete floor, occasionally stepping on something sharp and causing her to wince. Her feet were still freezing.

"When we get there, it'll be taken off." She replied shortly.

_What's up with this bitch?_ Blaire scowled at the back of her head as they strolled through the dimly lit hallways.

"Why can't you take it off now?" Blaire sighed, frustrated with the woman already. She had been in it forever, seemingly.

"The Doctor will take it off for you."

Blaire rolled her eyes. "I thought you were showing me the door?"

She jumped, as a sudden scream echoed amidst the hallway, causing goosebumps to appear on the younger woman. "What the hell is that?" She murmured, voice shaken at the raw intensity of such a scream. It was agonised, drawn-out and grating on the ears.

Her words went ignored, much to her vexation.

"Are you listening to me woman!" She screeched. "I just want to know what the fuck is going on! Tell-"

She was silenced by the anonymous nurse, who swiftly turned, administering a hard smack to the girl's cheek.

Stunned into silence, Blaire stared wide-eyed as the older woman got in her face. "That's quite enough of that. You'll disturb the other patients. And the Doctor won't be too pleased with you," she hissed. It was just as she thought. A severe case of hysteria indeed.

_She's lucky I have this straight jacket on. The old cow._

She sneered at the woman when she turned away to continue walking. She didn't dare express her dark thoughts aloud, for she was currently unable to defend herself against another assault, should it come. She felt the intense urge to rub at her stinging cheek, which would no doubt be marked soon enough.

They continued walking in silence, Blaire's anxiety growing with each step until eventually, several hallways and two flights of staircases later, they entered into another room.

It was spacious, with the same high ceilings and fancy pillars as in the hallways. The entire room was cast in warm golden light, though there was nothing comforting or welcoming about it.

Blaire's eyes focused on the table lined with miscellaneous, nondescript instruments and the amalgam of complicated-looking machinery surrounding the outskirts of the harrowing chamber.

"Here she is." Came from the nurse, who stood aside.

Blaire noticed a man, who was stood with his back to them, cleaning one of the instruments, which gleamed in the dim orange light.

Blaire took several steps forward, trying to appear menacing despite being partially immobilised. "Where are my clothes? And my bag?" She demanded. "Get me out of this thing right now!" She yelled, expression warping into a picture of rage.

"Watch your tongue girl!" The nurse snapped, moving to strike her again.

"Now now. " The Doctor spoke up.

Blaire froze as he turned to face the pair.

"Matron, I'd like some time alone with the patient if you please. I'll call you if I need you." He sent her a charming smile.

The nurse nodded swiftly, closing the heavy door behind her. The hinges creaked in protest, leaving the two alone.

"You bastard." Blaire croaked out. Her eyes raked over the supposed "Doctor", taking in his ghostly pale skin, his slightly messy black locks of hair and the lab coat over his tall, slender figure.

Sebastian sent her a smirk, his crimson eyes dancing in mirth as he peered at her through his spectacles.

"Take a seat, my dear." He rounded on her, arms reaching to grab at the trembling woman as she tried to keep herself together.

"Besides, " he added. "We're going to be here for a while."

* * *

_I saw you took away my days_

_I saw you brought in the night_


	3. I Turn my Arm

**I Turn my Arm**

"But it's not real! You can't be real! Demons don't exist!" Blaire shrieked as she frantically backed away from the menacing imposter, who was currently advancing towards her. To her panic, she had little choice but to cower away from him as her back came into contact with the grubby steel door, successfully trapping her. She struggled against the straight jacket restricting her quivering limbs, but it was to no avail. Its tight grip effectively restrained her, without mercy. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest and her breaths came out in quick, ragged pants. She swiftly came to realise that her dream about seeing the famous characters on the ice, in fact, wasn't a dream. It wasn't someone's idea of a sick joke. This was actually happening, and the prospect made her feel sick to her stomach.

The smirk on Sebastian's face remained unwavering. His polished boots tapped against the concrete floor, creating an intense feeling of foreboding within the young woman and urging her to flee. Like a rabbit caught in the gaze of a hungry wolf. The dim lighting cast his face in sinister shadows, his eyes began to glow bright crimson as he quirked a midnight eyebrow at her cowering form.

"I can assure you, I am very real. And as a doctor, I'm afraid I'm going to have to diagnose you with a severe case of lunacy. Not to worry though, I hear tale that medical care is quite effective these days." He grinned as he extended a lanky arm towards her, causing her to screech, pressing herself further into the grungy metal.

"Fuck off Sebastian! You're not a doctor! You're a butler! Shouldn't you be with your precious Ciel?!" She snarled, as she was roughly grabbed by the collar and hauled towards a queer-looking contraption, sat upon a long metal table.

As her chilled feet dragged along the unforgiving stone, he turned to her. "And pray tell, how did you come across this information?" He demanded to know, roughly lifting her and shoving her onto the chilled steel surface.

Blaire frowned. "You wouldn't believe me." She stared at him as he began to fiddle with a complicated looking piece of equipment, taking one of the many leavers in his gloved hand and beginning to wind it around in circles. She remained sitting where he left her, trepidation building within her as she couldn't help but wonder what on earth he was doing.

The demon let out a brief chuckle. "I don't think a measly human has ever said such a thing to me before."

Turning towards her, he sent her a bone-chilling smirk which made goosebumps stand to attention over her limbs and the back of her neck. Their knees brushed against each other as he leaned in to place an arching contraption over her head, attaching two nodes to the device which ran towards a nondescript wooden box via copper wiring. The steel frame was uncomfortable, cold to the touch and threatening in appearance. He took her face in his cool hands, voice dropping to a hushed murmur as he leaned in to ask again: "How do you know the young Earl and I? And for that matter, about the thieves being after the Hope Diamond?" His voice was sickly sweet, which only served to unnerve the young woman as it juxtaposed the otherwise eerie atmosphere surrounding them.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared into his otherworldly eyes. "I...can't tell you."

_I just can't! Everyone already thinks I'm insane! How could I possibly tell them I've seen them on TV? Are TV's even invented yet?_

He tutted in mock disappointment, though the excited glint in his eyes revealed how he really felt. "Wrong answer."

With both hands placed on her shoulders, he coerced her into laying down on the steel table. She tried to push up against him, however her attempts were feeble at best. Fatigue gripped at her and her arms had taken on a severe case of pins and needles, reducing her already limited upper body strength.

"What are you doing? Take me out of this damn jacket." Blaire bit out, glaring up at him.

_As soon as I'm free I'm going to smack his stupid specs right off of his face._

She almost giggled in sheer malice, imagining his expression after the fact.

The beast's face remained perfectly serene as he stood over her, peering into her brown eyes and listening to her rapid heartbeat. "What is your name?" He tried. He should at least know the name of the woman he was about to torture.

_How could I have forgotten my manners? _He thought sardonically.

"Blaire." She responded automatically, her tongue darting out to lick her lips which were now suddenly very dry. "Are you fucking deaf? I asked you to take this off!"

"Why did you have a bomb in your possession?" He ignored her biting remark.

She frowned. "What? Bomb? It was a joke! Idiot! That was my phone you crushed."

Sebastian hummed, pretending to consider her. "I would tell you my name, but it seems as though you already know it... somehow. I'll ask but once more. How do you know of the young Earl Phantomhive and I?" His expression remained unfaltering as he ignored her demands. She certainly wasn't of high birth by any stretch of the imagination and thus, how she could know of such nobility by name was an utter mystery.

Blaire sighed. If she was going down she would do it with dignity. It wasn't worth being hurt. "I'll tell you if you take all of this shit off." She mumbled. She would be damned if she showed herself to bend to his will quite so easily. He may have been quite attractive but he was still a complete arse in her book.

"But I have to cure you of your lunacy." He proclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Now you will feel quite a shock. Inducing seizures is an excellent way to cure symptoms of ill mental health. So I've heard." He stated as a matter of fact, amusement clear in his expression that he didn't even try to hide. And with that, he moved around her towards the wooden box which lay beside her head, connected to the metal frame clamped over her skull.

Panic overcoming her, she made to sit up, only to be immediately shoved down by the demon with inhuman strength. Her back thudded against the steel painfully with a resounding "bang!" which echoed throughout the room. She couldn't help the slight whimper which escaped from her lips.

_A shock? An electric shock? Without anaesthetic? What kind of fucked-up medical procedure is that?!_

"Don't you dare!"

She struggled, biting back the urge to scream and cry. Sebastian's hand remained pinning her down, much closer to her chest than she would have liked.

"Don't! I'll tell you!"

His other hand reached towards the wooden box.

"Plea-!"

Blaire's words died in her throat as she suddenly began to convulse, the first wave of electrical currents wracking her form. Intense burning on the back of her skull sharply made its way down her neck, pushing through her spine and causing her limbs to jerk violently, legs slamming against the steel table beneath her. Intense pain shot through one of them, as the resulting spasm caused it to hail down in a storm of blows, under which the bone audibly fractured with a disturbing crack, her body continuing to jump upon the harsh surface.

Sebastian didn't bat an eyelid as consciousness left her, the seizure brought on by the electrical shock quickly taking its toll on her.

Normally, several other nurses would hold down the limbs of the patient to avoid injury. However, he couldn't have anyone listening in on his interrogation. The strange woman - Blaire, wasn't insane, he could tell that much.

Oh, but how he had longed to perform the glorious act of torture onto other, lesser beings. It was one of the few things that brought him pleasure in life. And this so-called medical treatment was honestly hysterical. He was perfectly capable of pinning her down to stop her from hurting herself on his own. But why should he? What did she matter to him? Besides which, it was first-rate entertainment.

With Blaire now temporarily unconscious, he was free to do a more thorough examination of her. He brought a hand to trace over her full cheeks, eventually moving it to comb through her matted brown hair which lay limp and slick with sweat in a murky pool around her head. He soon noticed a line of blood trailing from between her lips and upon closer inspection, he saw that she had bitten through her tongue in the midst of her seizure. He snarled aloud in a savage laugh, gazing at her in odious joy.

_Perhaps now she will shut up._

Removing one of his gloves, he ran his thumb from her chin up towards her slightly parted lips, collecting the drop of blood which streamed from her mouth. He stared at the crimson liquid coating his fingertip for a moment, before swiping his tongue along the digit, his eyes flashing their brilliant russet hue in response.

Her blood was remarkably healthy. More so than the wealthiest of humans for this time. Wasn't she just some pauper who couldn't even afford proper clothing? A commoner who had to resort to thievery to survive?

No, there had to be something more. Parting her lips with his fingers revealed her teeth were also remarkably healthy. Exceeding that of even his young Master's. There was no way she was merely some lowly peasant, not with such healthy teeth and gums. Her slightly toned frame which his enhanced eyes could clearly observe, even under the bundles of clothing, didn't give the impression of nourishment - as would have been expected from someone so deeply impoverished.

Clasping her hand in his own much larger one, he brought up the appendage to scrutinise closely. His critical eye could see that her nails were perfectly healthy too, and her skin felt much too supple for someone so poor. It made no sense, as the only thing that suggested she wasn't particularly well off was the light tan adorning her skin.

The rich tended to be exceedingly pale, almost to the point of transparency. Like fragile porcelain dolls. They didn't need to work a day in their life. Blaire however, had evidently seen the rays of the sun. This was a characteristic found on those who were forced to work outside often - the less well off. But Blaire's skin was far too soft for someone that had to work out in the sun all day...

And her manners! He'd seen street urchins with greater respect for propriety than her. Not that manners particularly mattered to the demon. He was merely a beast maintaining a façade of being a gentleman. Though these things were still worth noting in his investigation.

Frowning deeply, he began to gather her legs, laying them neatly across the table for when she woke up. The night was young and he was far from finished with her. She truly was a mystery and he didn't like not knowing something.

* * *

When Blaire's eyes eventually began to flicker open she was immediately greeted by the ever impassive face of Sebastian. Albeit, a heavily blurred image of him. She let out a groan, her eyes screwing shut as intense pain made itself apparent along her jaw and down her neck. Her ears were ringing like alarm bells inside her head, giving the impression of tinnitus. She whimpered as she felt suddenly nauseous, before sitting bolt upright as she became aware of the bucket of cold water being dumped over her.

"Back with us?" Came from the supposed Doctor as the now-empty bucket clattered to the ground. The ECT machine had been put away, the nodes disconnected from the metal device over her head. Meaning there was no harm in using water to wake her up quicker. Also, Sebastian found it chucklesome.

Blaire ignored his remark, shuddering as the cold air now tore into her. "Mm. No more," Was all she could manage through her swollen tongue and her confusion, suddenly lurching forward to empty the contents of her stomach into the floor with a loud spatter.

Foreseeing this, Sebastian swiftly jumped out of the way, peering at the heaving girl with nothing short of contempt. He sighed to himself, glad that it wasn't him that would be cleaning that up.

Coming around behind her, he removed the metal device from her head, catching her as she slumped against him. Her movements in sitting up had alerted the woman to the searing pain down her leg. She couldn't help how her eyes burned but in her dazed state, she hardly cared or noticed. With little effort, Sebastian tore the restrictive garment from her like it was made of tissue paper, tossing it aside and revealing the discoloured white skirt she had on to be a full dress. Likely a standard one all patients wore.

With her arms finally free, she allowed them to fall to rest by her side as she leaned heavily against the demon's chest. The chill from the ghastly chamber hit her full force, causing her to shiver violently, though she paid this no mind. For she was unable to.

Sebastian's head came to rest on her shoulder. "Now, will you tell me how you came across the information you have?" He whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her, though all she could do was slur something incoherent. Even Sebastian was unable to make out a word she had said.

Again, he found himself sighing. "Very well then. It's a simple question really, you could have easily prevented this. Now stand."

Dumbly nodding along, for fear of being electrocuted again, she made to stand. The moment she put both feet on the ground she let out a yelp, her newly fractured leg giving way from beneath her. She barely managed to catch herself by gripping onto the table, leaning heavily onto it with bated breath.

She hissed as Sebastian grabbed ahold of her by the upper arm, pulling her out of the room forcefully. She let out several cries in protest as her leg burned fiercely with each staggered footfall. The demon showed no mercy as he began to drag her down the dim corridors, with her limping the entire way.

Cries and screams from other patients echoed throughout the halls of the hospital, perfectly loud and clear now that they were no longer in the intensive care unit. Despite the loud buzzing in her head, the screams caused Blaire to wince.

A nurse in passing paused to ask something which she could barely make out - before said nurse came to her other side and looped the brunette's arm around her neck. Sebastian mimicked the action and soon, she was being dragged by the two. The tips of her toes skidded across the cold floor and her head slumped forwards as she began to lose feeling in one side of her face.

* * *

_Black on the skin, it's sheer and cold_

_Twenty-seven bones as I turn my arm_

* * *

**Electrical Convulsive Therapy wasn't developed properly until 1938 and is still used (with anaesthetic) today. Electrical shock therapy was used in the Victorian Era and is different. **


	4. When She Was Otherwise

**When She Was Otherwise**

Blaire was vaguely aware of being dropped onto the ground, her knees slamming into the concrete and causing her to let out a strangled grunt. She peered up through the locks of damp hair obscuring her face to find that she had been dumped in front of a grubby bathtub. Her teeth chattered furiously and she could feel her head pulsing along with every beat of her heart as the sounds of running water filled the air.

"Leave us, if you please." Came from Sebastian. Blaire flinched as his voice bounced off of the tiled walls and sent vibrations through her skull.

The other nodded, saying nothing as they scurried away.

"Now then." Sebastian kneeled down beside her, his gloved hand coming to collar the woman and lift her so that her upper body was leaning over the quickly filling tub of water. "I think we should wash those cosmetics off of your face, don't you? No respectable lady hides her features behind makeup."

And with that, he plunged her face into the freezing liquid before she could even register what he had said. She instinctively gasped as the frigid water tore into her, before realising what was happening and berserkly attempting to struggle against the brute's ruthless grip. It was like trying to fight against cold, hard stone.

Her head remained submerged for moments, her lungs desperately crying out for air. Her throat burned intensely as the polar water put her into a state of shock. Blaire regretted every moment in her life when she had taken breathing for granted. She wanted nothing more than to scream, than to lash out at who was holding her down. Never before had she felt so helpless.

Then just as she thought she was about to pass out, she was pulled from the icy clutches of the turbid liquid. She sputtered, coughing up the water she had swallowed and nearly gagging at the foul taste it left in her mouth. There was no way that was sanitary. Her hand came to rest against her aching chest, but before she could turn to accost the raven-haired demon, her head was roughly dunked into the tub for a second time.

With the haze beginning to lift from her mind, her first cogent thought in a while left her.

_That fucking dickhead!_

The worst part was that she was completely powerless to retaliate. He was a supernatural being with strength far beyond superior to her own. Nothing she could do would hurt him, and anything she could possibly say to anger him would only result in her being harmed again.

For the first time, she allowed herself to let out tears of frustration. She gave up struggling and resigned to letting her hands clench around the ugly dress she was stuffed into.

The process of Sebastian allowing her a few shallow breaths, before pushing her back underwater continued, however many times, Blaire lost count. Her skin was now glacial to the touch, though numb to the woman herself and had adopted a blueish tinge.

Now bored, Sebastian considered that he should stop. If he accidentally drowned her before she answered his questions, that would be most annoying. And Ciel had ordered him to retrieve necessary information. He would be a true failure of a butler, should the young woman die and leave him empty-handed.

Acutely aware of the woman's shivering and troubled breathing patterns, he swiftly grabbed the towels which had been left by the Matron in the midst of their mock drowning session. He placed one over her shoulders to tie around her soaked hair and brought the larger to embrace her, making quick work of drying her off, creating friction with his hands to both speed up the process and attempt to get rid of the concerning complexion she currently harboured.

Blaire looked at him in scorn as he worked. She didn't dare express the ill thoughts she had of him aloud, lest she have to go through that ever again. In fact, she never wanted to see another bathtub for as long as she lived.

"And now...I believe you know what I want from you. I've already asked you thrice, don't make me repeat myself again." He gripped the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him as he glared at her. "Or perhaps we could try something else to coerce you?" His breath ghosted against her face.

Blaire sent him a scathing glare of her own, before blowing out a breath of air which turned into a ragged cough. The occasional shudder forced its way down her spine and she had to clench her teeth together to prevent them from chattering. She closed her eyes, frowning as she finally gave in. She had to tell him. Even if he didn't believe her, even if he simply thought her to be crazier than he seemed to believe already, it wasn't worth being hurt.

She struggled to speak with her swollen, still bloody tongue but she figured he would be able to understand what she was saying.

"I...I'm from..." Her eyes came to rest at a random point on Sebastian's pristine white lab coat as she tried to work up the courage to say it. "...the future." She mumbled. She even felt like a lunatic saying the phrase out loud and stealing a glance at the demon's face, revealed he was thinking the same thing.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. Had he been wrong about suspecting her to be sane? She had certainly seemed of a reasonable state of mind...

He didn't like being wrong. Not one bit. It simply didn't happen. Humans couldn't travel in time, it was a physical impossibility, and she was definitely human. He sneered, before moving to dunk her into the water again in pure outrage. Millennia of being alive and a pathetic human female would make him question his competence? Unacceptable!

At his sudden movements, she exclaimed, "There's more!"

He paused, still gripping her, ready to end her if she said one thing that he didn't like.

"I know... about you. And Ciel." She claimed breathlessly.

"Yes, I was aware." Came his blunt response as he listened with ill-contained impatience.

"But you don't know how much! I know about Ciel summoning you after his house got burned down by the Queen. I know about the three servants who are completely useless and are only kept around because they fight well. I know about how you're gonna eat Ciel's soul in exchange for giving him revenge against who killed his parents. And about the reapers and about what's going to happen, in the future. About Angela being an angel, who can change into Ash the Queen's butler,"

She struggled to catch her breath as she blurted out everything she could possibly think of off the top of her head. Everything she could remember about the show. Anything to avoid being dunked again.

The beast listened to her muffled, though agitated words intently, his eyes sparkling in interest as she went on. A sinister grin crept its way across his face.

She definitely wasn't a spy. No mere spy could know everything that she did. And even if she had been spying on the manor, he would have sensed her hovering presence long ago. Besides, she was much too brazen to be a spy. Too obvious and in the face of having her life endangered, too jittery. She was a plain and ordinary person. With an extraordinary gift.

"So, you're some sort of psychic then?" He questioned with a grin. A human with genuine foresight was unheard of. He had seen his fair share of charlatans and con artists claiming to have psychic abilities. To him, the fakes were easy to spot a mile away. But this rare specimen could be of incredible use to him.

Blaire stared at him incredulously. "Wh- no I... I read about it in a series of, uh... books."

_And watched it on TV._ She added to herself. He wouldn't even know what a TV was.

Adjusting the spectacles perched on his nose, Sebastian continued to peer at her. "What book is that?" He asked dangerously. Was she really just an ordinary fool?

"A book about you and Ciel. From the future...kind of." She cringed at having to refer to the manga as a book.

_Never mind the future, more like a fucking parallel universe. What the fuck is going on?_

The look of contempt fell from Sebastian's face. No such book could possibly exist. She clearly had some kind of powers and was struggling to cope with them, thus deluding herself into believing she had read her visions in a book. She was merely human after all, likely trying to make sense of her foresight. Perhaps books were what triggered her visions?

Oh, he truly hoped to Lucifer. Getting his hands on a genuinely sensitive human would be an invaluable asset. To the manor and also to him. He would have to be sure before he got his hopes up too much. He would double-check for any possible books about him and the young Lord.

"And, what was this book called?" He inquired, a strange tone lacing his voice.

She stared at him. Did he believe her? But why would he ask about the book if she already said it was from the future?

"Black Butler." She said with hooded eyes before a sudden yawn escaped her. Upon raising her hand to her mouth she realised just how sore she really was.

He looked at her for a moment, before moving to stand. "Alright then. That concludes your treatment for today. Come."

Biting back a snide remark, she made to follow, holding the plain towel around her slender form. She hissed as she put pressure on her fractured leg, making to limp after the demon. She struggled to keep pace with him as he marched through the drab halls, the noises from other patients once again chilling the young woman. She dreaded to think of what was being done to them.

Quickly finding herself out of breath, she stopped to lean heavily against the stone wall. Its coolness was much appreciated as she rested her forehead against it.

Turning back with a sigh, Sebastian hurriedly made to gather the woman in his arms. "Incapable of even walking, are we?" He mocked.

"Oy! Put me down!" She yelled, her voice rippling throughout the vast corridor and combining with the tumultuous commotion of the rest of the hospital.

"You're slowing me down." He said, picking up the pace a little. He had a book to try and find before morning broke. Even for him, it could prove to be quite the endeavour. She had claimed it was from the future, but that simply couldn't be true. He could consult the Grim Reapers, however, no doubt they would wish to take her from him and examine her themselves. He gripped her a little tighter. There was no way he would risk it.

"You're not taking me back to that padded cell again, are you?... Please don't..." She stared up at him. She never wanted to see that damned room again.

He glanced down at her. "I have no other option. You don't even belong in here - there is nowhere else for you. I would advise you to keep your head down. I'll be back for you at some point shortly."

His promise did not comfort Blaire in the slightest. "For more treatment? No thanks." She mumbled.

The demon briefly considered dropping the infuriating young female on her backside. Though he quickly decided against it, for if she were to be useful, she would need to be as unscathed as possible. Torturing her to get her to co-operate, while amusing, while fun, was time-consuming and could result in her untimely demise. She was just another fragile human who would need to be taken care of.

_Except, this human, might just prove to be more valuable than any contract bearer ever could._

* * *

As promised, Sebastian had dropped her back in the padded cell, to her utter indignation. She had cursed him out, receiving only a smug grin as the door was slammed shut, locking her in once more. Without a single lamp, the room was now suspended in total darkness. She had no idea what time it was, only being aware of her own fatigue. Aching all over, she had little choice but to lay on the cold, hard ground. She took the towel from her still-damp hair and folded it into a makeshift pillow, using the larger as a strange sort of blanket.

She wanted her own bed. She wanted to be home again, with her family and friends.

Stuck in the past, so far removed from what was familiar was a notion so disturbing, her stomach began to churn at the very notion. She was unable to stop the violent shivering which overcame her. Everything hurt so much.

She turned to lay on her back, dark eyes gazing up into the indifferent, empty abyss of the ceiling. As she continued to lay there she couldn't help but feel like she had made a terrible mistake in blurting all of that out to Sebastian.

* * *

_Let all your fears be gone_

_And lie here wasted_


	5. Face the Raven

**Face the Raven**

"Not this one...no. ...certainly not..." A countless number of books circled around the demon butler, hovering almost tauntingly. The darkened library was highlighted only by the blood-red drills of his eyes which were currently narrowed in frustration. With a flick of his wrist, every book scampered back to its rightful shelf, passing by him in a blur which no mortal eye would be able to see.

Pride and Prejudice. Jekyll and Hyde. Frankenstein. The Picture of Dorian Grey.

Sebastian sighed. Hours. Hours he'd been at it, not one book matched Blaire's description or even bore the slightest similarity. Every library in the shadowy streets of London, he'd searched them all. Of course, at the young hours in the morning, they were all but closed. Though that didn't stop him. High and low he'd scoured the shelves, double-checking every book title, skimming over every blurb until eventually, dawn had begun to rear its head.

The dimmed sky was held under the pale face of the fogged moon, the hours of solitude still looming over the vast hum and clatter of the city which seemed so alive, in spite of the dusk beginning to fitter away.

Sebastian glided stealthily over the sleeping houses, moving swiftly through the wider labyrinths of the lamp lighted districts as he made his return to the Phantomhive Manor.

He made quick work of checking the library there too, before having to wake up the young Lord. Nothing there either.

It was as he expected. No such book existed. Blaire was merely a human struggling to cope with her transcendental abilities.

As he entered his master's chambers and opened the heavy cobalt-coloured curtains, a wide smirk plastered itself across his face.

Hearing Ciel begin to stir from slumber, he made his way to the bedside, taking the pot of freshly brewed tea in his gloved hand. "Earl Grey this morning, my Lord."

Throwing the fluffy white quilt off of himself, Ciel sat up with a yawn and accepted the cup and saucer from the demon servant. "Did you find out about that girl?" He wondered, voice thick with sleep as he took a tentative sip.

Sebastian gazed at him, quite pleased with himself. "Indeed. Her name is Blaire-"

Ciel snorted. "What kind of name is that?"

"-She isn't a spy by any means. In fact, she appears to have some kind of psychic ability."

Ciel looked up sharply towards the demon, placing his cup on the bedside table. "Don't be so ridiculous." He scoffed. "You moron, she's clearly a lunatic. plain and simple."

Bending down and beginning to dress the boy, Sebastian forced himself to withhold a glare. "On the contrary, she seemed of sound mind to me. She also knows about the contract we hold, with great detail may I add. She was simply unable to stop herself from telling, after a little... Persuading." He sent his dubious young Master a broad grin. "And while she claimed to have read this in a book, I can safely say that no such book exists."

"A book?" The Lord wrinkled his nose. "How stupid."

"Yes, I suspect because she is human, it's how she makes sense of her visions. After all, humans are weak animals, in both body and spirit." The butler sounded his remark with the intent to get under the boy's skin. To manipulate him - to make him feel the need to prove himself and his species which he had suddenly been called upon to defend.

Ciel frowned. "And you're certain she isn't a spy? For the Queen, perhaps?"

Sebastian looked up at him as he began to tie a silken bow around Ciel's neck. What pleasure he would take from using it to choke the little brat.

Why did he have to be so difficult? Need he honestly doubt a butler of his calibre? A demon, no less? "Young Lord, if she were a spy, I would have sensed her long ago."

Standing up, Ciel placed his ring on his thumb, making to venture to his study as he usually did. "Clear my schedule for today. I wish to meet this supposed _psychic_." He sneered as he marched out of his sleeping chamber. "And I'll take breakfast in the study today." He haphazardly called over his shoulder, his mind elsewhere as he pondered what he could do with someone of such potential.

Sebastian rose an eyebrow at his Master's retreating form. "Yes, my Lord." He muttered.

* * *

Blaire's eyes snapped open as the distressing sound of the steel door swinging open on its hinges grated on her eardrums. She hadn't been able to sleep fully and had instead spent the night laying in a somewhat dormant state, occasionally opening her eyes to find daylight gradually beginning to creep forward and light the cramped cell. She was besieged by far too many questions to find it in herself to fall asleep as she lay toiling in the darkness.

With her head remaining on the towel-pillow she had made for herself, she turned and came face to face with a pair of black, well-polished shoes. She grunted as she struggled to sit up, feeling immensely stiff all over. Her eyes squinted as she peered up into the familiar gaunt face of Sebastian. She inhaled sharply. Was he going to torture her again?

"Good morning. I trust you slept well?"

She only looked at him tiredly, eyes dropping to the uncomfortable ground on which she sat. She shrugged, feeling as rough as nails.

Seemingly bored with pleasantries, Sebastian was quick to get to the point. "If you would, I would appreciate it if you come with me." He stared down at the somnolent woman, who only just seemed to realise that his lab coat and glasses were gone and had been replaced with his usual butler uniform.

"Come where?" She asked, voice quiet and hoarse with fatigue.

"My young Lord wishes to see you." He stated.

"Ciel wants to see me?" She raised her eyebrows, truly flabbergasted. What would he want with her?

When she phrased this aloud, his reply was swift. "If you can offer your psychic abilities to the Manor, I believe Lord Phantomhive would be more than happy to welcome you in," Sebastian claimed.

Blaire sighed. He still believed she was psychic? "But I'm not a fortune teller." She defied.

"Well, if you'd rather stay here until they realise that you don't belong. And then inevitably kick you back out onto the streets, by all means..." He raised an eyebrow at her stubbornness, knowing she couldn't refuse when he phrased it that way.

She gazed up at him, at a loss of what to do. He appeared particularly wicked-looking in the deep shadows of the early morning, seeming almost like a corpse with his long slender nose and prominent cheekbones set beneath a sickly looking ivory complexion. Blaire couldn't help the knot in her stomach that formed at the way his predatory gaze was fixed upon her. Like a butcher eyeing up a carcass to determine its worth. She shuddered. Just what would she be getting herself into if she agreed to go with him?

_A lifetime of bullshitting my way through being psychic while solely relying on my memory of the show..._

There's no way she could pull it off! They would find out she wasn't really psychic eventually, she was sure of it! Then what would they do with her? Sebastian would absolutely murder her in cold blood if she wasn't useful to him.

Would it be better than the alternative? When it came down to it, it was a choice between rotting in here until being thrown out, abandoned and homeless in an era she knew next to nothing about, and going with him. A selfish, narcissistic, apathetic creature capable of crushing her skull without much effort. But it was her only chance...her only hope of possibly surviving in this strange new world she found herself in. She couldn't bear to remain confined to the dingy padded walls any longer.

_And I'll get to see Ciel's house... His real-life house!_

"...fine. I'll go." She relented.

He sent her a tight-lipped smile. "Very good." It wasn't as though she truly had a say in the matter anyway. Though he had eventually learned that sometimes giving humans the illusion of free will was much more effective than outright forcing them. "Do you require assistance walking?"

The brunette scoffed, making to stand. "From you? No, I'm f- ah!"

He observed her as she dropped to the ground like a boulder crashing into a pool of water, clutching her swollen leg and gritting her teeth. "Are you sure?" He pressed.

_Dick. _Blaire thought, glowering up at the beast, who was failing to hide his amusement- if he was even trying. It was his fault she was hurt. He knew it too, in fact he was perfectly cool about the entire ordeal. Almost proud.

"Yes." She bit out. "I'm fine."

Sebastian's eyes widened briefly, before he quickly recovered. He watched, mildly surprised as she forced herself to stand, a sheen of sweat coating her forehead and her face twisting in strangled anguish as she hobbled towards him.

"If you insist." He sharply turned and left, hearing the young woman struggle to keep up with his long strides.

"Where are my bag and clothes?" She had to shout at him amidst the ongoing, chilling racket of the hospital.

"I can't say. Why would you want those rags back anyway?" He glanced over his shoulder towards her, before sniggering. "Besides, I think this is a great improvement."

She glanced down at the unsightly white (almost yellow) dress she wore which was at least a size too big. She clutched the large towel she had used as a blanket tighter around herself, sticking her tongue out towards the back of Sebastian's head.

While relieved, Blaire was surprised at the ease of which they bypassed the front entrance, as no one was present in the early hours of the day. She limped down the steps of the hospital, turning to observe the gothic architecture.

The looming institution appeared as a black shadow over a colourless sky, a mere silhouette. A falsely innocent front to disguise the true horrors of the hospital. The granite steps led down towards an open courtyard, decorated with thin trees neatly laid on its outskirts and leading the way to a wide-open pathway in the middle, at the far end of which lay a sturdy brass gate. A cab was parked in the centre of the yard, which the demon butler was stalking towards.

The carriage was larger than she would have imagined, the back wheels alone rose to Sebastian's chest. The glossy black and golden accented wagon was varnished to perfection and engraved with the word "Landau". Two rather sizeable black horses were also drawn on the end. She paused to gape at the sight.

_...I'm really in another time...I'm breathing in air from the past... _

She paused in her gawking as a question had risen from within her. "Won't they wonder where I went?" She called after him, waddling down the steps one at a time, careful to put her good leg down first.

"You aren't a registered patient. I'm sure once they realise, they'll be more glad to be rid of you. After all, no one is paying for your treatment."

Blaire snorted. Treatment? Their "treatment" had left her with a swollen tongue and a fractured leg - which she was starkly aware of currently.

Sebastian opened the carriage door, waiting on her with feigned patience. "I would have been quicker carrying you." He noted as she approached, her eyes filled from sheer agony as she struggled, practically dragging her leg behind her but she allowed no tears to fall in front of him.

"Fuck you." She ground out. Only to jump as the demon suddenly grabbed hold of her upper arm in a brutish grip.

"I've had just about enough of the foul language from you. Am I to beat it out of you before you take audience with the Earl Phantomhive?" He leaned into her face, his eyes flashing in vexation at the young woman's awful manners. She had better not embarrass him in front of his Master after he had gone to all the trouble of trying to convince the little brat that she was worthwhile.

She sneered up at him. "And need I remind you that it's your fault for making me have a damn seizure." She scowled as a wide grin spread out across his face.

Ignoring his offered hand, she shrugged out of his hold and hauled herself up into the cab, which took more effort than she would care to admit. She threw herself down on the leather seat as the door was slammed shut behind her. Her stiff back came to rest against the back of the seat before she was suddenly lurched forward as the carriage began to be pulled. She gazed out of the window at the foreboding structure of the hospital which had started to move away. She noted with dismay that the carriage was a lot more drafty than was ever made out on TV. She sighed, wondering just how long the journey would be to the estate.

* * *

A long time, apparently was the correct answer. Blaire kept drifting in and out of consciousness as the cab crawled through the narrow streets of London, journeying towards the outskirts of the city and further into the countryside.

In a spout of wakefulness, peaking out the window of the carriage had horrified the young woman. The dismal sky was blank and smothering, highlighted with street lamps which remained kindled. This was likely to combat the swirling wreaths of rust coloured fog which had engulfed the city and successfully kept any daylight hidden from view. Blaire lept into a violent bout of coughing as some of the smog had invaded and now lingered within the carriage.

The streets were disgusting, littered with raggedy passerbys, many of whom were children. Some were begging, while others were diving to gather coal strewn over the ground, despite the thin blanket of snow which was steadily growing in mass. The vast majority of the people there, if not all were clearly malnourished. They were mere skin and bone, laden with deformities caused by vitamin deficiencies. One little girl in particular, didn't appear to even have shoes. Blaire tore her gaze away, bringing a hand to cover her mouth.

She wondered how so many people - real people could be living in such horrific conditions and yet, no one was doing anything to help. She thought of Ciel and his Manor with an entirely new loathing. The brat probably had enough capital to feed this entire bystreet for weeks.

And she would have to meet him? The real-life Ciel Phantomhive?

Somehow, the thought only filled her with dread. She had imagined that it would be more exciting, being inside the world of Black Butler. But this was just brutal. This was real life, and right outside the wooden doors, several centimetres to her right lay the harsh reality of Victorian London.

Suddenly feeling more homesick than ever, she broke away from the window entirely, falling back against the leather seat once more. Her mind was a muddle. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

That bastard demon had stomped on her phone - it wasn't even as if she had access to pictures of her family and friends anymore. Even if her phone hadn't been smashed to pieces, it wasn't as though she would be able to charge the damn thing here. Her thoughts drifted as she wondered what they would be doing now.

Frowning, she clenched her teeth in an attempt to combat her burning eyes. Attempting to blink the tears away proved a failure, for she couldn't help but come to the devastating realisation that she would likely never see any of her friends and family ever again. Not her Mom or her Dad, not her friends. Not her dog Lotte.

They wouldn't be doing anything now, because they wouldn't be born yet for a hundred-odd years. And she wasn't just stuck in the past. Black Butler wasn't real in her world- this wasn't even her own universe.

An image of everyone she had lost flashed before her eyes like a broken picture frame. Once the first tear had slipped, she found herself unable to stop. Her shoulders shook as she sat there and wept silently. She leaned forward, her back hunching over and her hands coming up to cover her damp face.

"What did I do wrong?" She cast her bleary eyes upwards, her voice thick with tears and her words garbled together.

"I just want to go home..." She said in a broken whisper, no longer caring about the tears streaming down her cheeks. She was alone, it wasn't like anyone would hear her.

Unbeknownst to her, the Demon outside was listening intently, curiosity beginning to fester within him.

"Blaire..." He ran her name over his tongue, his brows furrowing as he continued to listen to the weeping seer.

"Blaire who?" He murmured to himself.

* * *

_Night is a stealthy, evil raven_

Wrapped_ to the eyes in its black wings_

* * *

**The Reports of Booth and Rowntree are good sources for researching levels of poverty in Victorian London. **


	6. Never Cry Moon

**Never Cry Moon**

Blaire was jolted awake by the high pitched sound of the carriage door creaking open. She sat up slowly, rubbing at her eyes. She hadn't even realised she had dozed off.

"Are we there yet?" She asked, letting out a yawn.

"Indeed, Miss Blaire." Sebastian held out his hand, awaiting her descent.

Opting to accept his help this time, she leaned heavily on his offered hand in a bid to ease the weight on her leg.

"What is your surname?" The demon inquired, noting her struggle. He would have to look at her leg at some point. She would be of no use to him if she was unable to walk properly.

"Coleman." She muttered, her voice strained. As she stepped onto the gravel, she took in her surroundings.

The smog from the industrial heart of London was a distant memory. Sparse silver clouds littered an azure sky, barely covering the winter sun. Now that they were out of the city, the air was even colder and a sluggish wind freely whipped up Blaire's lengthy locks of hair. Dirty towel still in hand, she gripped it around her form tighter. The distant sounds of hooves padding against the ground behind her caused her to turn just in time to see a second carriage leaving the estate.

_I wonder who's in there..._

The Phantomhive Manor itself was a sight to behold. Towering over her, the handsome lofty structure looked out onto vast expanses of interestingly shaped hedges which were dusted lightly with snow. The normally vibrant fern grass was coated in the powder-like substance as well, yet was still reasonably maintained despite the chilly temperatures.

She gnawed on her bottom lip to stop her teeth from chattering. From her point of view, it was summer merely yesterday. It would take a while for her body to acclimate to these new temperatures being thrown at her.

"I guess Finny is good at his job after all..." She said under her breath.

Sebastian's eyes snapped to her. How did she do that? How did she know Finny's name? She had never been anywhere near the Manor before, he was certain. Her scent was new to him and he could tell from the way she paused to observe the grounds, her demeanour being overcome with genuine awe. If she had been stalking the Manor she wouldn't have reacted in such a way, and no human was that good at acting. There was always subtle cues which gave them away and he was able to pick up on them easily. He smirked. Oh, she truly was something special, no matter how much she would deny it.

"Actually, Finny is barely able to manage even simple tasks when it comes to the garden." He started, beginning to lead her towards the mansion. "It is in fact I, who does most of the chores around here, I'm glad you appreciate it."

She side-eyed him. He'd heard that? She could have sworn she only whispered it...

_Oh...He's a demon._ _How could I have forgotten?_

_Because demons aren't supposed to exist in real life, dumbass. _She had to remind herself.

Blaire inhaled sharply, limping along beside him as she grudgingly leaned against his arm. Her attention was abruptly brought back to the demon as he addressed her again, pushing open the heavy oak doors.

"I will call upon our maid to make you presentable enough to meet the young lord." It would be horribly embarrassing to present her to his master in the state she was in currently. She would be brushed off on the spot.

Blaire couldn't help the minute surge of excitement that rose from within her at the thought of meeting the other servants. "Mey-Rin?" She asked, her face notably brighter.

_I wonder what she'll be like in real life..._

The demon frowned at this. Why would she be so excited about that? "Indeed..."

Stepping into the spacious entrance hall was a surreal experience. She had seen it many times in cartoon form, though that paled in comparison to standing in the real-life place. High ceilings were supported by gargantuan stone pillars, the marble floor was polished to a spotless shine and their audible footsteps echoed amidst the otherwise empty lobby. The entrance branched off in three directions, including the broad staircase which further diverged two ways and was laden with a lush red carpet. The place was huge. Yet hollow and filled with too much empty space. It was almost...lonely.

"Come." He began to lead her down one of the several hallways on the ground floor.

Hobbling along beside him, she scowled at the way he spoke to her.

_I might be below you on the species hierarchy but I'm not a fucking dog._

As they went down the decorative corridors Blaire wondered if this is what her life would be now. Subservient. The notion made her sigh and her fingernails dig into her palms in frustration. She didn't belong here and clearly, no one was going out of their way to make her feel otherwise.

"Ah, there you are." Sebastian's baritone voice once again brought her back to reality. Her head snapped up to reveal, who Blaire could only assume to be Mey-Rin.

_I see he's acting as if he's surprised to find her. Prick probably knew exactly where she was with his super-hearing._

The maid was stood dusting one of the many opulent portrait frames hanging on the walls, dressed in a uniform not too dissimilar to what was shown in the animation. Except this one fell to her ankles and was black, not blue. Her coffee-coloured hair was pulled into bunches under the white bonnet placed on her head.

At hearing Sebastian's voice she turned, adjusting the large circular spectacles on her nose. She paused when she saw Blaire, brown eyes widening momentarily before she quickly regained her composure, her sallow cheeks reddening under Sebastian's stare.

"Were you looking for m-me, Mister Sebastian?" She croaked. Her nasally voice held a slight foreign tang as she stood rigid, fidgeting with the duster clasped in her palms.

"I was wondering if you could make our guest here presentable before meeting the young Master." Sebastian sent her a smile, one which she couldn't help but become even more flustered at. Though her posture relaxed immediately.

"Y-yes. Of course!" She locked eyes with Blaire, sending her a smile. Blaire noted that her glasses were so thick, she could barely see the woman's eyes. Though it was almost strange, as in the animation all detail was obstructed completely leaving only empty white where her eyes should be. Mey-Rin quickly bowed her head in an attempt to hide under her fringe. "Come with me ma'am- if you please, yes!"

_The poor woman can hardly see a thing. _She thought, knowing full well that she could see perfectly well without the glasses.

She made a mental note to ask Ciel why he would purposefully obstruct Mey-Rin's vision when she had the chance. She had always wondered about that.

Blaire returned her smile and detached herself from Sebastian's arm, wincing at the new weight she had to put on her leg. Limping after the Phantomhive maid, Blaire heard Sebastian call after them.

"And Mey-Rin? If you could lend our guest some conventional clothing, I would be most grateful."

Blaire paused, her face immediately scrunching at the thought.

_Fuck. That._

* * *

Minutes later, Blaire was stood on the reflective black tiles in one of the mansion's bathrooms. Beaming white daylight broke through the tall segmented window, through which could be seen the tops of snow-covered trees as the odd ray of sunlight glanced between the branches. Grey marble walls rose to meet a high white ceiling lined with onyx skirting and a sparkling silver chandelier hung alight in the centre.

Mey-Rin plodded over to the cast iron tub at the other end of the room by the window, leaving Blaire to take in her surroundings with nothing short of wander. She blew out a breath, stepping into the room properly. No bathroom needed to be this big!

_I_'m_ actually in Ciel's house...holy shit...It's really Ciel's house..._

She froze momentarily, any look of reverence slipping from her face as in the corner of her eye, she caught her reflection in the mirror. She turned to gape at the image staring back at her, her hands coming to rest on the marble counter to support herself. Her brown hair was completely matted, partly laying slick against her scalp. Residual makeup still resided on her face, faint black lines of mascara drew from her dull, bloodshot eyes and encrusted, dry streams of eyeliner meandered down her cheeks. Her chapped lips pressed into a grim line. She looked crazy. Utterly bedraggled.

The sounds of running water made her head snap around and seeing the bathtub filling with water made her heart begin to race. Her hands moved to grip the discoloured dress in her clammy hands, wrinkling the fabric as she tried to regain control of her breathing.

_It's okay. He's not here. It's okay. Everything is fine..._

"If you could take that off and wash while I get some clothes for you, yes!" Mey-Rin proclaimed, turning and scurrying out of the bathroom. Hearing the maid's clumsy footsteps grow distant, Blaire threw the hideous garment to the tiled floor. She paused at the bruising along her lower leg, wincing as curiosity brought her fingers to ghost over the mauve contusions. Shaking her head, she moved to sink into the tub, relishing in the hot water which lapped at her aching limbs.

Sighing, she allowed her tired eyes to close momentarily.

"Miss?" There was suddenly a frantic knock at the door. "Miss are you alright?"

Blaire's eyes snapped open. She looked down to find herself still in the bath. "I have to stop doing that..." She whispered, before adding louder. "Yeah, I'm fine."

The door was pushed open and Blaire immediately pulled her legs up to her chest.

In came Mey-Rin, carrying what Blaire presumed she would be wearing. She strained to keep a straight face, lest she come across as ungrateful.

The brunette maid held up a bundle of clothing. "I hope this is fine. It's one of me uniforms - minus the apron of course."

_Kill me now._

* * *

Blaire had been surprised upon discovering that the Victorians didn't wear underwear. At least, not any kind which Blaire was familiar with. Instead, she found herself stepping into what she could only place as a night dress. Painfully unremarkable, the white cotton material fell to her knees. This was followed by a pair of bloomers which hung loosely around her lower thigh and were tied at the waist. Plain white stockings were secured by an equally simple ribbon below the joint.

"Another layer...?" Blaire groaned internally when Mey-Rin began to lift a petticoat over the other woman's head.

"Of course!" The maid offered no further explanation. It was common sense, after all.

"Seriously? People just...wear all these layers of clothes even in summer?" She muttered. Blaire's eyes narrowed as Mey-Rin made to grab a certain torture device which she suspected would make an appearance at some point.

She visibly shrank away from the garment. "Can we skip the corset?"

"That's not possible I'm afraid. The bodice wouldn't fit without it and it would be most disrespectful to greet the young Master without being properly dressed." The maid refrained from questioning Blaire at her blatant lack of consideration to propriety. It wasn't her place to pry into the lives of a guest. Though she had to wonder: what kind of woman wouldn't want to wear a corset? It was the height of fashion and gave a desirable body shape! What wasn't to like about it?

"It's a torture device though, don't you think?" Blaire winced as the first of the laces began to be tightened.

"You get used to it, yes you do!" Came from Mey-Rin, who was stood behind her, frantically fumbling to lace up the back. The undergarment was plain, lacking any lacing or fancy embellishments Blaire had come to know the Victorian era for.

"So... Literally every woman wears a corset?" She asked incredulously. This one was probably less expensive - leading her to believe that even the poor would wear corsets in the name of fashion. The notion brought her eyebrows together in a thoughtful frown.

"Oh yes!" Mey-Rin frowned, pondering how she didn't know that. "It would be most improper not to." Her brow only furrowed further in concentration as her clumsy hands danced over the laces, taking much longer than it should have. Blaire was none the wiser.

"But what if someone was pregnant?" She had always wondered about that. Surely, they might be sensible enough not to-

"Then they'd wear a maternity corset." Came the blunt response, as though she were stating the obvious.

_...these people are all bat shit crazy. She thought glumly._

Blaire suppressed yet another groan, as over the corset, came yet another layer which the maid described as a "corset cover" at her confused glance and finally, came the dress which was split into the bodice and the skirt.

The young woman stood with her hands clasped at her front, gazing at her new reflection. Face scrubbed clean, hair tied back and flowing black skirts dancing around her ankles as she swayed. She grimaced.

_I look like I'm dressed up as a witch or something for Halloween. All I need is the hat. The thought almost brought a smile to her face. _

"You don't have some makeup I can borrow do you?" She asked diffidently, peering at her bare face in vague distaste.

Mey-Rin's eyes widened. "Of course not!" She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Only women of the night paint their face!" This strange woman truly was clueless about propriety, wasn't she?

Blaire's mouth made an "o", she cast her mind back to when she had first met Ciel.

_No wonder he thought I was a prostitute._

She swallowed, the idea of meeting him properly - even going about her life without any cosmetics - made feelings of insecurity surface from deep within her. Feelings she had hidden away under a mask for a long time. She sighed at the difference in cultures. To her, putting on makeup was a sign of putting some effort into one's appearance. She wished she had paid more attention in history class at school.

The two jumped at the knock on the door and when it opened to reveal Sebastian proudly holding up a pair of buckle shoes, Blaire raised an eyebrow, feeling truly like a charity case. In a way, she supposed she was.

"You and Finny appear to be of similar foot size. Mey-Rin's seem as though they would be too big." He claimed proudly. Blaire huffed at the reference to her small feet.

_Of course, he'd notice that. _

Correct as he was, Blaire could only focus on the corridors as they passed far too quickly for her liking. She ascended the stairs after Sebastian, her anxiety climbing with them. Her long skirts wrapped around her ankles and her constricted torso made the journey unnecessarily difficult.

As they came to a still and Sebastian knocked on the door, Blaire shuddered involuntarily. Her breath caught in her throat caused by pure, undiluted fear of the unknown.

_What will __**the**__ Ciel Phantomhive be like in real life?_

* * *

_Sleep while you shall_

_Await life's darker nightmares_


	7. Smoke Filled Room

**Smoke Filled Room**

With entry having been granted and Sebastian holding the door open, Blaire took several hesitant steps into what she assumed to be Ciel's study.

"Here she is, young Master." Came from behind her.

The musty smell of aged books greeted her, the scent emanating from the high oak bookshelf in the corner of the room. The sound of a pendulum clock echoed amidst the high ceiling, Blaire's tension building with each clamorous tick that passed - signifying another second of awkward silence. The floorboards were encumbered with a red arabesque carpet and the walls were papered with a brilliant emerald green. The kindled fireplace lay perpendicular to the bookshelves, in front of which lay one tawny leather armchair and one cabriole chair. Between the chairs was the famous table and chess set, which made a miniature smile break out across her face. Innocent golden light cascaded in through a leaded window which rose to meet the ceiling and was lined with burgundy velvet curtains. Beside the substantial writing desk in front of the window lay an abominable world globe seated on four wooden legs.

It was certainly old fashioned by Blaire's standards. Vintage - though no doubt perfectly modern for the period. With her surroundings paired with her outfit, she felt like she was on the set of a historical drama film. It was surreal, completely alien.

Her heart clenched with the reminder of how far gone her home now was.

Finally, her eyes came to rest on Ciel. He sat at his desk, posture rigid against a high-backed chair and hands clasped beneath his chin as he observed her. Tracking her every hesitant movement, taking mental note of any change in facial expression. When she smiled as she looked towards his chess set, he frowned, wondering what she could be looking at. Had she sensed something? He wracked his brain, trying to think of what she could possibly be seeing.

"Miss Coleman, might I introduce the Right Honourable gentleman, the Earl of Phantomhive." Sebastian's voice cut through the tense silence as he closed the door behind him with an audible click and strode over to stand behind his Master. He had observed how her head turned, how her eyes had wandered the room and seemed to linger on certain parts. Like Ciel, he too, wondered what she saw.

In reality, Blaire was simply curious about what Ciel's study was really like and was trying to commit the place to memory. In the vague hope that she might somehow get back home.

She nodded towards the -older than she thought- boy, clasping her hands behind her back to hide the fact that they were shaking as she desperately tried to think of a suitable response. This was an Earl. On par with royalty, who was currently gazing at her in perturbed curiosity. Would a simple "hello" suffice?

He certainly was older than twelve - she could tell that much. Most of the baby fat around his face was gone, revealing the bone structure of one who was becoming a man, with a strong jaw and pronounced cheekbones. His brown - almost black hair framed his rugged, yet somehow lovable face and was parted to the side, shorter locks resting over his silken eye patch. He was wearing a blue silk waistcoat and shirt, brought together with a black ascot tie. While he was pale, he wasn't quite as ghostly as Sebastian, who was stood towering over the boy like a shadow. A constant companion with beaming crimson eyes. Frankly, Blaire wondered how no one had caught on to the fact that he wasn't human yet.

Sebastian's looming presence was suffocating. Even though his role was that of a mere servant, he was a formidable figure to whom power was given. And his young "Master" would rise to do his bidding while being completely oblivious. Despite the eerieness that seemed to radiate from the two, they also radiated power and commanded reverence. Together they were a terrifying force to be reckoned with, and they were both peering at her with unwavering, hungry gazes.

In an unnatural show of embarrassment, she couldn't help how her cheeks burned under their intolerable scrutiny.

Ciel continued to stare at her, his one visible sapphire orb glistening in wonder and anticipation. "Do come closer, Miss Coleman. Or can I call you Blaire? That's your name, is it not?" He purred, deep voice beckoning and a smirk gracing his features.

In that moment, it transpired that Blaire had failed to say anything. She cleared her throat nervously, gingerly approaching the front of Ciel's desk.

"Yeah, that's fine. Nice to meet you..." She said quietly, gazing at his alabaster face.

"This is a great improvement." He began, motioning to her attire and scrubbed skin. Yes, he conceded she was quite prepossessing now that propriety allowed him to find her so. Even still, a secretive part within him wanted to see her in the attire she was wearing before.

Blaire paused, unsure if she should be insulted or not. Regardless, she sent him a fabricated smile and bowed her head slightly in his direction.

"Sebastian, leave us." He commanded, eye still fixed upon the suddenly very sheepish looking woman.

The butler faltered, peering down at the back of his master's head. "Are you sure that's wise, my Lord?"

Ciel turned to look up at him sharply, a hard glare set on his face. "Need I repeat myself? Go. That's an order." He spat. He wanted to test her for himself.

Blaire glanced between the two warily, feeling like she was watching a friend being told off by their parents. She bit the inside of her mouth, watching as Sebastian's gaze wandered between her and Ciel before he hesitantly left and threw her a final glance, eyes narrowed in warning. Like he was trying to convey a secret message. Possibly telling her not to mess this up. She felt some of the tension leave with his presence, though no doubt, he would be listening.

"Tell me," Ciel brought back her attention to him as the door was closed. "Are you truly as gifted as my Butler thinks you are?"

_Well, I knew that was coming..._

This was it. This was her last chance to back out. To confess that she really didn't have the slightest psychic ability at all. But the thought of being left to fend for herself terrified her, possibly even more than the idea of being under the constant scrutiny of the demon and the Earl.

_Here goes._ She sighed internally.

"Yeah, I am." She said, before pointing to him in a gesture towards his eye patch. "That eye patch you wear over your eye. That's where your contract mark with Sebastian is. He's a demon, isn't he?" She tilted her head to the side, not needing an answer. When he opened his mouth to respond she cut him off, aware of the fact that he could kick her out in an instant. But this was her one shot to make a lasting impression. She had to impress him.

"You signed over your soul to him because you wanted revenge against the people who..." She trailed off at the expression on his face. Rather than being filled with awe, he was glaring. "Sebastian could have told you that." His said coldly. "Why he would, I don't know but you'll have to do better than that."

"He didn't!" She exclaimed, affronted.

Ciel stood up abruptly, slamming his hands down on his desk with a resounding thud, causing Blaire to flinch.

"I would be mindful of how you address your superiors!" He barked. A lowly street urchin would dare raise her voice to him? A woman? He was positively outraged - charged by the notion that his bastard demon butler would try to play tricks on him. He wouldn't fall for it.

Blaire let out a shuddered breath, bowing her head and begrudgingly uttering an apology. Now that he was stood up she took note of the visible silver chain of a pocket watch on his waistcoat and that he was wearing black trousers - not the shorts and high socks which the animation presented.

_Prick. Alright then._ She squared her shoulders. _Tough crowd, what else is there...?_

"You're servants. Mey-Rin, Finny and Bardroy were hired to protect the Manor. So they aren't great at doing actual chores-"

Still standing, Ciel waved off her statement in a dismissive gesture. "Sebastian complains about them a lot. Tell me something that he couldn't have told you..." He finished, narrowing his eyes at her.

She frowned, mind racing. Ciel remained stairing right at her but she couldn't break eye contact. Doing so would be submitting to him and admitting to being intimidated. Was there even anything that Sebastian didn't know about? Where are they in terms of chronology?

She cast her mind back to the ice sculpture and the Hope Diamond, and if she remembered roughly where that placed her then...regardless of whether these were the events of the anime or the manga taking place, there was one thing that Sebastian shouldn't know.

She raised her chin slightly. "You have asthma. You haven't had an attack in years but you still have the condition." She smiled, quite pleased with herself.

Ciel faltered, visible eye widening momentarily as he took a step back. The only people who knew that were dead... His eyes ran over her before he regained his composure swiftly, gaze sharpening. He turned and made his way to stand by the window, gazing out into the gardens. She can't be...

"Tell me, have you got a job?" He asked suddenly. If he could get an idea of her background, perhaps he might feel more at ease. As it stood, he knew nothing about this woman and yet she appeared to somehow know all about him. It was unnerving. She must have had to work - she was clearly too poor not to.

The question caught her off guard. Why would he want to know about that? "I...work in a shop while attending col-." She cut herself off, realising that she had no idea how schooling worked in this time, though one thing she did have a vague idea of was that a woman in education surely must have been improbable. Specifically, a working class woman.

He laughed. "Oh, really? Then how do you explain your attire at the frost fair?" He turned to look at her, his eyes dancing in mirth. If she had a respectable way of gaining income then she would have been wearing at least some semblance of proper clothing. No, that wasn't the answer he was hoping for.

Blaire faltered. Nobody here believed she was from the future. It was pointless even trying to explain. If Sebastian, an actual demon didn't believe her then there's no way Ciel would. He thought she was a peasant, didn't he? What do the decrepit do for money, besides begging? What answer was he expecting?

Mistaking her silence for unspoken confirmation, he continued. "Even for a prostitute, you certainly top the most scandalous of which I've had the pleasure of meeting."

She sputtered. _Wait. What...?_ Surely he wasn't serious? A glance at his face revealed he was perfectly stoic. She waited for a smile to break out across his face - for him to admit that he was merely jesting. When that didn't happen, she tried to choke out. "Wh...I'm not..." She didn't like his tone of voice nor the predatory expression he harboured.

Ciel continued, advancing towards her. She took several steps away from his descending form, a new kind of unease filling her wide eyes. "You need money, don't you? You certainly aren't wealthy." That had to be it. She was probably some nutter who had grown tired of working in the poor house and had turned to prostitution and con-artistry. Yes, that had to be it. She had simply gotten lucky at guessing his chronic illness and Sebastian had provided her with the other information to trick him. Already Sebastian had shown himself to be capable of twisting the meaning of his orders and if this was some kind of game, he would play to win. Maybe Sebastian could even tell that he has asthma with his demonic powers, he would certainly interrogate him later.

"I'm not a prostitute." She said clearly, brow furrowing and hands clenching into fists. Her chest began to heave in sheer outrage but she couldn't get enough air in with the corset clentching her ribs together. She wanted nothing more than to rip it off, though that wouldn't help her case.

He didn't even pause in his advance - he simply didn't believe her. "Come now, there's no need to deny it anymore." He stood right over her, an unusual glint in his eye. She gazed back up at him. He was about a head taller than she was - she was simply unable to believe the height of him. The top of her head came up to his chin, by comparison with Sebastian she was about as tall as his chest. Ciel was standing way too close for comfort, she could feel his analytical stare boring into her flesh and she suddenly realised that his company was no less oppressive than Sebastian's. His entire life, Ciel had been privileged, likely to always have gotten his way growing up. Pompous, arrogant, the way he treated Sebastian - demon or not - was but a reflection of his self-assured right to rule over those he deemed inferior to him.

The question of how old he really was burned on her tongue, but she didn't dare ask this aloud. He would laugh in her face if she, a supposed psychic would ask his age. He clearly didn't believe her - nobody here believed a word she said. Regardless if she was speaking the truth or not, and it bugged her.

Blaire didn't know what to think. Is he suggesting what I think...? Completely stunned and insulted, she finally snapped, sick of being looked down on like she was a crushed bug stuck on the bottom of a shoe. "I'm not a prostitute! You fucking prick!"

It all happened so fast. Blaire suddenly felt a harsh sting across her cheek, crying out and flinching back as the Earl's rings tore across her flesh and in the next moment, a shadowy figure was stood between them.

"My Lord, please control yourself!" Sebastian had heard their entire exchange. When Blaire said that his Master had asthma, the Lord's reaction was telling that she had been correct. And being able to point out where his contract mark is, was quite impressive as most people assumed it was an injury. He had scowled at his Master's assertion that he had told the woman about him. The little ingrate was infuriating at the best of times. Blaire was like a shiny new toy - one which the demon wanted to keep in good condition. Injuring her simply wouldn't do.

"Who said you could come in here?! I didn't call on you!" Ciel spat, eyes blazing.

Blaire reached up to rub her stinging cheek. She scowled at him, lips curling up into a sneer. She knew Sebastian would surely end her for lashing out at Ciel but she didn't care anymore. Rage boiled beneath her skin like molten rock, she was shaking but this time it wasn't from nerves. "You hypocrite! You'd look down on me for thinking I'm a whore, yet would happily suggest buying me out?! What about Lizzie? You stinking pig!"

And with that, Blaire saw him in a new light. He had an evil face but it was smothered by hypocrisy. A child of his time, simplified and dumbed down for the sake of TV and having truly lost any innocence he may once have possessed. Of course he would have experience with prostitutes, he was wealthy and a hormonal adolescent. His reputation would be shattered if he tried anything with his fiancé before they were wed. Prostitutes wouldn't gossip about their clients, most didn't know who he was and thus, he could rely on their silence. And if not, Sebastian would clean up after him. Even still, Ciel wasn't one for being challenged, nor for being called out. He issued orders and wasn't questioned on them, as far as he was concerned.

Ciel snarled and made to grab her again, only for Sebastian's hand to encircle his wrist. His crimson eyes were narrowed in warning, but Ciel paid this no mind "Get her out of here!"

The demon shook his head. "But we could use-"

"I don't care! Get that wench out of my sight! Now! She isn't psychic at all is she?! I'm not playing your damned games Sebastian!"

Not needing to be told twice, Blaire turned to storm out of the study. Where exactly she was going she had no clue but if she stayed, she knew she would end up with Sebastian having to restrain her from wringing the little imp's throat.

Her strides were cut short when the door that was open inexplicably slammed shut by way of some invisible force. She didn't even need to wonder who was responsible.

"Where do you think you are going?" Sebastian's stern voice permeated the air. She turned to find his eyes firmly fixed upon her, tracking her every movement and Ciel glaring up at the butler who still held onto him.

If she was under the impression he would let her go after what she just revealed to know, she was sorely mistaken. He fully intended to find out what else she was capable of and his Master couldn't stop him in that.

"You heard his highness, didn't you?!" She snarled, Ciel promptly leering right back at her. "I'm leaving."

Trying to pull the doorknob, she was disheartened to find it wouldn't budge.

"To go where?"

She faltered, hand remaining rested on the handle. _Where anyone without a place in the world would. There must be a river or cliff somewhere_. Or perhaps if she threw herself in front of a carriage at the right moment, she would finally be free from this pit of hell.

"Let her leave." Ciel muttered, most of his initial rage having been replaced with dull irritation. But he didn't follow up his words with an explicit call of order - which left Sebastian free to ignore his whims. And he gladly would until he got his own way.

Sebastian turned to Ciel. "If anyone caught wind of what has transpired here today, your engagement with Lady Midford would surely be severed. The Phantomhive name would stink from one side of London to the other." He tried.

"Oh, what do I care about her? The idiot showed up today just to ring some bells."

Blaire's head perked up. Now, that sounded familiar.

_So that's who's carriage it was..._

She turned, hesitant to speak, yet after finding that Sebastian seemed to want to keep her unharmed and was interested in what she had to say, she boldly asked the sour-looking Earl: "Did she hand you a gift too? A small gift and then immediately take it back off of you?"

Ciel's scathing glare flickered. How could she know that? Her and Sebastian were out of the house. He huffed. "Yes, as a matter of fact, she did."

She swallowed thickly as both males gazed at her in astoundment.

"Do you know what the gift was?" Ciel challenged. He would give her a run for her money to make her prove herself. He now badly wanted to see her fail.

"It was a new ring. An exact replica of your own after she smashed it. She felt really bad..." She answered. This wasn't right. Her presence here was already changing things. Sebastian should have been with Ciel when Lizzie arrived and instead, he was driving her back from that blasted hospital.

Ciel gazed down at the sparkling blue ring on his thumb, then up to the butler. "Have you told Blaire anything? Don't lie to me, demon I command it."

Sebastian took great pleasure in denying this, grinning darkly all the while.

Ciel looked back to the supposed seer, who was keeping her distance. A frown creased his face. "Then that means..."

"Elizabeth has the Hope Diamond." Sebastian finished.

"She's in danger." Blaire began, a terrifying realisation dawning on her that this wasn't fiction. Elizabeth was a real person and would be turned into a doll if she didn't do something. "You have to go after her."

"Is it immediate?" Ciel asked seriously, his rage forgotten and replaced with traces of worry. He knew he didn't mean what he said about Lizzie. Stubbornness wouldn't allow him to admit to feeling guilty, so he hardened his expression and focused on the present.

"...yes." She said carefully, watching Ciel closely. How he could make advances on her, then moments later be worried about his fiancee baffled her. She pressed her lips together, taking note of Sebastian's unwavering gaze. She locked eyes with him, about to demand to know what his problem was when Ciel marched towards her.

Jumping out of the way, she frowned when he bypassed her and opened the door with ease. "We're going after her." He looked towards Blaire. "All of us." Sebastian had said this morning that she wasn't a spy. And he had ordered him never to lie, it was part of their contract. And in that case, there was no rational explanation he could attribute to her knowledge. If Sebastian said that he believed she had some kind of transcendental powers - and he was unable to lie, then wouldn't it stand to reason that perhaps, she might be...?

The sceptical side of him pushed against the idea that she may be genuine. But if demons and grim reapers were real, why not psychics?

Blaire sighed. _So it begins_. She barely had the energy to remain standing upright as it was, nevermind running through the wintry streets of London.

Before making to follow the Earl from the room, she turned to see that Sebastian was still gazing at her. When their eyes met, he sent her a false smile. "Come along, Blaire."

* * *

_If they only knew_

_What makes us human_


	8. The Feeling of Dread

**The**** Feeling of Dread**

Ciel hastily climbed into the carriage, followed by Blaire and Sebastian. Blaire slumped against the leather seat, clutching at her aching side where the corset was digging in. She was having some difficulty getting in enough air after practically falling down the stairs after Ciel. "Where and when exactly will Elizabeth go missing? And sit up properly!" The Earl demanded.

She shot him a glare. _Even in an emergency the prick is still concerned with manners?_ She reluctantly complied with his gratuitous command, staring at his rugged face from where she sat across from him. Sebastian seated himself beside the young Earl, still watching her carefully. Curious to know how her visions worked and if perhaps he could sense some kind of shift in energy around her.

"Somewhere in the city. A toy shop...I'm not sure exactly when but I know it was- will be dark by the time she's taken. They're going to turn her into a doll." She said, heart racing. This was the true test of her "abilities", she couldn't mess this up.

Sebastian's eyes flashed and the carriage immediately began to be pulled.

"A doll?" Ciel questioned, raising his hand to his chin and a frown creasing his brow. "So whoever takes her can't be human..." He noted.

Blaire looked over at him, a realisation suddenly dawning on her. "Who's driving the carriage?"

Sebastian smirked at her. "What, the little psychic doesn't know?"

"I don't know everything." She huffed. "Only bits and pieces."

"Have you truly forgotten what I am already?" His head tilted to the side, lips still curled up across his ghastly face, preening like a magpie fawning over something shiny.

"A demon. I know that, but what's-"

"Shall I make them stop?" His eyes again flashed and the carriage came to a halt.

Blaire's mouth slackened. He could seriously do that? She thought back to the show, at all the scenes with Ciel and Sebastian alone inside of a carriage - and yet it was never explained who was driving. Certainly, the Victorian equivalent of a taxi service existed but why would Ciel need to hire a cab when he could afford his own? And apparently, Sebastian could control the animals like marionettes. For some reason, she found the notion more disturbing than awe-inspiring.

"Enough of these games." Ciel snapped, glaring at the two of them. "We must get to Elizabeth before dark."

"Of course, my Lord. My apologies." He said with an insincere smile and bow of the head.

As the carriage started again, Blaire asked: "why doesn't Sebastian just run ahead and get her?"

It was Ciel's turn to smirk in bitter satisfaction. "First of all, because people would question why my butler was approaching my fiancee. Secondly, you haven't exactly been precise. Perhaps you aren't so good after all."

She pressed her lips together to suppress a sneer at his condescending tone. "Like I said. I don't know everything."

Ciel's arrogant smirk remained plastered to his face. "And pray tell, how much do you know?"

_How do I even answer that?_ She wondered. Should she reveal what she knows about the future? Her eyes flickered to Sebastian. If she truly wanted to get revenge on Ciel for his conduct earlier, she could suggest the possibility that he might become a demon in the future. Sebastian would surely slaughter him on the spot to save himself time. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't have anyone's death on her shoulders - regardless of who they were. And she didn't know what would happen to her after the fact, so she opted to play it safe. "...most of what I know centres around you and the people in your life."

She took great satisfaction in watching as the smirk fell from his face. "...me?"

She nodded.

Sebastian let out a thoughtful hum. "And...how is it that your abilities work? I believe you mentioned books?"

Blaire sighed internally. Another long carriage ride ahead - this time with two psychopaths interrogating her on her non-existent abilities. With no real way to tell the time, the seconds themselves seemed to last an astonishingly long while. "Well, I...I thought I had read the information in a book." She wasn't technically lying.

Sebastian smirked. "Which I disproved, yes."

Her eyes flickered towards the demon. "When did you do that?"

"This morning. I searched through every library in London, twice in fact. No such book that you described exists." He looked quite pleased with himself.

She gazed at him with unblinking eyes. _Oh my God._ Blaire didn't know if she should facepalm or burst into a fit of hysterical laughter as she imagined Sebastian searching tirelessly for the Black Butler manga - which obviously didn't exist here. She had said it was from the future, didn't she? Why would he bother looking?

Ciel cut in. "You can read?" He asked her incredulously, eyebrow raised.

Blaire scowled at him. _Are we fucking there yet?_ She thought, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Of course I can read." She was already sick of being talked down to. Did all women have to put up with this here or was it just her?

"Who taught you?" Ciel tilted his head, genuinely curious. She shouldn't have been able to attend school and her parents surely couldn't have afforded a private tutor. Proletarians sent their children to work at young ages, it would make no sense for her to be educated at all.

Blaire looked at him for a moment, not quite believing she was having this conversation. "...my teacher. In school."

"You could afford school?" Ciel wondered if perhaps he had been deceived by her appearance. Then he thought back on her attire at the frost fair and decided against the idea. She had to be lying. He would be sure to test her later on.

"Well, where I'm from it's compulsory to attend. And free."

Sebastian quirked an eyebrow at this. "And just where is it that you're from?"

Her breath caught in her throat and she cast her eyes to her hands where they rested on her knees. She hadn't thought that the question would hurt so much, and she now realised that she didn't have an appropriate reply which wouldn't result in her being mocked. She brought her hands together, beginning to fidget as she tried to think of an answer. Should she lie? What if Sebastian could sense lies? With a heavy heart, she eventually settled on: "Far away...really far away." Her voice was almost vacant as she brought her dull eyes to look out the window of the carriage.

"You know, it's most impolite to not look at those who you are talking to. Now answer Sebastian's question properly." Ciel chided, glaring at her. Ensuring that she knew her place - which was below that of even a servant.

Blaire promptly glared right back and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her anguish was swiftly replaced by anger. "What does it matter to you? I...I don't exactly belong here alright?"

Ciel was about to snap at her again, though Sebastian cut him off.

"You are still under the belief that you're from the future, aren't you?" He asked bluntly, smirking in sick satisfaction at how she squirmed in her seat under their scrutiny. He continued. "You truly are ridiculous. Perhaps you truly do belong in Bethlam. I should have left you there." He taunted.

She balled her hands into fists, her knuckles turning bone white under the strain. She felt undermined. She felt out of place. Useless. _Pissed right off. S_he added.

When she didn't respond after a minute, Ciel spoke up. "Don't ignore others when they address you, Blaire." He ground out. He dropped the "Miss Coleman" out of a lack of respect, he didn't refer to his servants as such, and he certainly wasn't showing the courtesy to her. Whoever she was.

Making eye contact with the Earl revealed he wore a smug expression, lighted by a mischievous glint in his eye. He was trying to get under her skin, to get her to lash out. Tears threatened to blind her but she refused to give in to her frustration, instead furiously blinking them away. She bit the inside of her mouth to the point where she could taste her own blood but it didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of things. What was more important currently was to refrain from showing them her weakness. "Maybe you should have." She bit out.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them and Blaire found herself fixated on the world outside as it passed, at a snail's pace. She began to daydream about her home as the world outside faded away and became white noise.

* * *

"Blaire!"

The woman in question gritted her teeth at the familiar sound of Ciel's scathing tone. Opening her eyes revealed that first: the shadowy faces of the two characters were firmly fixated on her. Second: the carriage was now cloaked in darkness. _Is it seriously getting dark already?_ she thought tiredly.

"Falling asleep in the carriage is most unladylike." Came from Ciel.

Blaire rubbed at her eyes, heavy fatigue still burdening her. "I didn't exactly get a good nights rest yesterday, did I?" She muttered, her voice still hoarse with fatigue.

Sebastian chuckled. "Was the floor of your padded cell not adequate?"

Blaire looked at him through dull, hooded eyes. Her lips pressed into a line and she decided she wasn't even going to humour him with a response. "We there yet?"

"You tell us." Said Ciel.

She glanced out of the window, still being taken aback at how quickly the daylight had dissipated. The sky had turned from light to dim blue. They were clearly now moving through the dingy streets of London, still shrouded in the amber glow from the kindled gas lamps. Concrete had replaced countryside and Blaire came to realise that she must have been sleeping for a while.

"Where is Lizzie?" Ciel interrupted her train of thought.

She turned to look at the Earl, raising a hand to rest against her cheek and bringing her brows together in a worried frown. "I said earlier, a toy shop. I don't know exactly where."

He sighed, turning to Sebastian. "Begin going around every toy shop on the other side of London. Blaire and I will begin the search on this end."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that my Lord? I believe your concern for Lady Elizabeth is clouding your judgement. Would it not be more wise if-"

Ciel's expression hardened and he cut him off, spitting through gritted teeth. "I gave you an order. It's not your place to question me, butler."

Blaire glanced between them, feeling mildly awkward. She would have to go with Ciel? On her own? What if he tried to harm her again, or worse? However, the alternative wasn't much better either. A look towards Sebastian revealed he looked positively murderous at having been talked down to by Ciel - an inferior being from his point of view.

_Not nice is it?_ She thought darkly.

To Sebastian's credit, he held his own better than she could ever hope for herself, sending the Earl a tight lip smile and his signature: "yes, my Lord" before disappearing from the now still carriage.

Ciel motioned to Blaire with a nod of his head. "Come."

Fighting back the urge to sigh, she followed him from the carriage and began limping after him, immediately falling behind his hurried strides. She struggled to keep up as she weaved her way through the crowds of people and occasional carriage while keeping an eye on Ciel's top hat - the only part of him she could see - which quickly ended up away in the distance.

_The cunt could have waited on me. Fucking prick._ All kinds of other expletives crossed her mind as she grit her teeth and for a moment, she considered calling after him. However, the rest of the street was strangely quiet and she couldn't draw attention to herself. No doubt, Ciel would tell her off for that too.

She truly had no idea where she was going, having never been to London in her life. Even if she had, there was no telling exactly how much had changed in the last hundred and fifty-odd years. She continued blindly following the bobbing top hat through the maze-like streets and Blaire wondered how anyone could possibly find their way.

Just as she thought she had lost him, he seemed to reappear, pausing to allow her to catch up while gazing at her with a disdainful expression. "You're proving to be more of a hindrance than a help. You're slowing me down."

She was breathing heavily, leaning on the stone building before them with aching arms. "I've hurt my leg. And the corset is making it difficult to keep up with you." She began to massage her side. "Can't you slow down?"

"No, I won't. We're in a hurry." He said sharply, before motioning to the building they were stood beside. "Now enough excuses. Do you think this is the right one?"

Pushing off of the looming structure and taking several steps forwards, giving the building a good scan, she shook her head. This couldn't have been it. "No, it's one with a large window displaying dolls." This one was nothing like what she could remember. It had a granite staircase leading up towards a painted red door, the display showing that it was, in fact, a toy store. Just not the right one.

"We'll try this way." He sighed.

Several toy shops later and Blaire had begun to worry. They seemed to be wandering aimlessly and this wasn't what happened in the anime. She wracked her brain, trying to recall how they knew where to go when she froze, her posture went rigid and her eyes widened.

"What's the matter with you?" Ciel asked with a frown, having turned to see the woman stop dead in the narrow street they were wandering down. He wondered if she had seen something bad and her obvious worry started to rub off on him.

Blaire only stared at him in distress, giant moths fluttering in her stomach. She realised what she had done. In the animation, they got a phone call telling them exactly where Lizzie was last seen, which allowed them to be in the general area to find her. Now because of Blaire they had left early and wouldn't be in the house to receive any phone calls. Try as she might, she just couldn't remember off hand what the call had said.

A wave of nausea threatened to claw its way up her throat. Had her being here really changed so much? They left the house in a hurry and thus, there was no Pluto. And because there was no Pluto, Grell wouldn't be showing up either. Even if they found the right store, there was no way they could get passed the army of killer dolls without Grell.

Ciel came forward, peering at her intensely. He took her by the shoulders and gave her a shake, what was "proper" no longer being a concern. "I asked what the matter is! Blaire!" Was it Lizzie? Were they too late?

Blaire lifted a hand to cover her mouth, staring into the wide eye of Ciel. "What have I done...?"

* * *

_all the early evening shadows couldn't disguise this unrest_

_and the nights in depth are infinite as always_


	9. Thin Ice

**Thin Ice**

The dismal bystreet they were stood in was solitary and, in spite of the low growl of London from all around, very silent. Even the smallest of sounds carried out of the surrounding houses, clearly audible on either side of the narrow road - and the echo of footsteps proceeded their owner by a long time. A thin layer of snow had begun to smother the cobblestones and the sound of a pelting wind howled in Blaire's ears. It was like some district of a city in a nightmare.

Her face was visibly paler and there had come a blackness around her eyes as she frantically shrugged off Ciel's grip of her shoulders and staggered several steps away from him. "We need Grell..." She murmured with a note of urgency. Even if Pluto wasn't here, the red-clad reaper should be around. He would be investigating the mysterious case of Drossel Keinz - the very man (or, otherwise inhuman entity) responsible for Elizabeth's disappearance. Therefore, Grell could lead them to the right place. He might not go out of his way to encounter them without the presence of Pluto but surely, if she could call out to him he might hear her? She would be disturbing the otherwise tranquil street and drawing attention to herself but this was now a matter of life and death. If anything happened to Lizzie she would bore the brunt of the blame, no doubt about it.

Ciel glanced at her incredulously. "Grell the reaper? You know him?"

She rolled her eyes, pointedly tapping her head. Before he could retort, the brunette took in an almighty breath of air, lifting her hands up by her mouth and yelling at the top of her lungs: "Greeeeeeeell! Grell Sutcliffe!"

Ciel looked affronted. "What in God's name do you think you're doing?!" He whispered harshly, stomping over towards the woman.

She paid him no mind, finding his embarrassment quite comical and with the intake of another breath, she began to shout again: "Greeeee-!"

A gloved hand was abruptly clamped over her mouth and a sharp glare from the young Earl silenced her. "Shut up wench!" He hissed in her face, glancing around warily. Had they not been in public, he would have taken great pleasure in slapping her.

She only looked at him flatly, prying his hand away from her face. "We need him! Lizzie's life - no, our lives depend on it!"

Ciel peered at her for a moment, before a sudden voice permeated the tense silence.

"Is this man botherin' ya, miss?"

The two turned to see a poorly dressed boy with a scrawny frame who was stood breathing heavily, a hand clutching his chest and a concerned frown creasing his brow. Neither Blaire nor Ciel had noticed his frantically approaching footsteps.

_Oh, you don't know the half of it. _She thought.

However externally, she merely shook her head, sending the stranger a plastic smile. "Uh yeah...everything's fine. Sorry about the disturbance." She tried sheepishly, feeling her cheeks beginning to heat up. While embarrassing Ciel had seemed appealing at the moment - she had failed to consider the secondary consequences.

_That's a recurring theme, huh Blaire?_

Taking matters into his own hands, Ciel sent the younger boy a disarming smile, stepping forward to extend his hand. "Everything is quite alright here. I'm Ciel Phantomhive." The last thing he needed was some pauper sticking their nose in where it didn't belong - the sooner he could get rid of him the better.

The unnamed boy stared at Ciel's extended hand incredulously, his murky green eyes flickered back to the young woman stood behind the earl, before he asked hesitantly: "Are ya sure, miss? I can call for the constable if ya want."

Blaire went to answer, though Ciel cut her off as he lowered his arm to rest by his side. "There's no need for that. If you'll excuse us, we must be on our way." He said with a slither of ice in his tone, turning and grabbing Blaire by the arm.

She sent the boy a fleeting smile, being touched that someone actually seemed to care for her well being. However, as she turned, she caught a glimpse of his limp body suddenly collapsing to the ragged stone tiles with a distinct thud.

Both Ciel and Blaire whipped fully around with wide eyes, staring at the now-still body on the ground and the unmistakable silhouette standing over him.

Vibrant green eyes peered into brown, a toothy grin adorning the familiar face.

"A mister: Marcus Meechan. Died of heart failure pertaining to over-exertion." He brandished his chainsaw-esque death scythe and brought it down into Marcus with a sickening hack and the sounds of tearing flesh. Blaire watched moon-eyed, her voice left her completely as the empty body's spine arched and blood spattered the cobblestones in a macabre puddle.

Overwhelming guilt descended upon her as she realised that Marcus had come running at the sound of her screeching - he looked malnourished enough to have suffered from a weakened heart. She shut her eyes, squaring her jaw.

_Why is it, that the more I try to fix things, the more I seem to fuck up? He wasn't supposed to die! He wouldn't have died if I wasn't here! _

When her eyes opened again, she found that she was unable to steer her gaze away from the bloodied ground.

"You've created quite the disturbance, young lady." The reaper continued, stepping over the mangled corpse and stalking towards the pair.

"Grell Sutcliffe." Ciel acknowledged with a stiff nod, his face set like stone.

"First time seeing a dead body?" Grell acknowledged, glancing at Blaire with an uninterested expression.

All she could offer was a mute nod.

"Well, dear there's a first time for everything. Come on then - out with it. What's all the ruckus about, hm?"

She managed to lift her gaze to meet that of the famous character who now stood before her in the flesh. His ginger hair fell to his elbows and there was something androgynous about his pale face. The use of cosmetics was clear as day and his eyes shone an unnaturally bright shade of emerald green. Finding her voice again, Blaire managed to choke out: "W-we need you."

He quirked a filled-in eyebrow. "Oh? Do I know you?" His scrutinising orbs flickered to Ciel, then back to the brunette.

"No, but I know you. And we need you to lead us to...uh, Drossel Keinz." She chewed on the inside of her cheek, hoping that she had remembered the name correctly.

She didn't need to wonder for long, as his eyes immediately widened. Ciel glanced between the two with an impatient frown on his face.

Grell came further towards them until he was stood towering right over her. "How do you know that name, hm?" He firmly grasped her face in his gloved hand, causing her lips to pucker but she held her own and met his piercing stare with a look of equal intensity. "You aren't a reaper, are you?" He turned her face from side to side, leaning in and audibly sniffing. "No. You're definitely human."

"Stop wasting time!" Ciel snapped. "Grell. If you help us I'll give you Sebastian for a day to do whatever you please."

Grell abruptly paused in his scrutiny of Blaire, looking thoroughly intrigued with the prospect of what the earl had promised. "Anything?" He repeated, his voice raising an octave. "Even... kissing?!"

Blaire observed the scene with interest. This should have happened at the toy store already.

_Grell really must raise his standards._

"You can do whatever you want with him," Ciel repeated, a smirk gracing his features at the idea of tormenting his demonic butler.

Grell licked his lips, his eyes glazing over momentarily before he sprung to action, striding down the street with the two humans hurriedly following suit. "As it happens, Sir Drossel Keinz is indeed on the To Die list. A very curious case indeed." He glanced over his shoulder towards Blaire, adjusting the red spectacles perched on his nose. "How did you know to call on me - what was your name?"

The young woman had already fallen behind the two males and was struggling to intake enough air as she hobbled after them. Before she could respond, Ciel spoke for her.

"This is Blaire. And I ordered her to."

Her eyes snapped to the back of his head.

_No, he didn't! Why's he lying?_

"Did you now? And Drossel Keinz? How did you know that name, Blaire? Did Phantomhive junior tell you that too?" He asked with a hint of mockery. "I had just been ordered to look into his case not even an hour ago."

They turned down a darkened alleyway. Although a fog rolled over the city, the night was cloudless and the alley was brilliantly lit by the full moon. There was a tense moment of silence where Blaire tried to think of a response that wouldn't raise any more suspicion of her. The last thing she needed was the reapers trying to take her away for investigation.

_Well actually..._

Would that be such a bad thing? It couldn't possibly be worse than being trapped with a demon and a selfish young earl who hated her guts, could it?

When Ciel failed to speak for her a second time, she sighed, trying to ignore how her leg muscles ached and strained under the pressure of the restricting garments.

"I just...know things." She began, a hand moving to massage her aching side. "Some people think I have a gift."

She caught Ciel glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "And yet, you failed to locate a simple toy shop." He reminded.

"I knew we were looking for a toy store, didn't I? It gave us a starting point!"

"Keep your voice down, hornswoggler." Came the Lord's flippant response.

Blaire barked out a laugh. "Horns- what? What does that even mean?"

"How is someone who claims to have psychic ability so clueless about the modern day?" Ciel wondered aloud, a hint of mirth in his tone.

Blaire audibly snorted, before glaring at the back of his head. _More like ancient history. Where I come from, you're already dead. Better yet, you never even existed._

"If I may interject-" started Grell. "You knew I was within earshot. And you also happened to know the name Drossel Keinz." There was no way a human could have the information she did. And yet, there was no doubt in his mind that she was entirely human. Something wasn't adding up.

She stuck her tongue out at Ciel. Although she wouldn't admit that she didn't, in fact, know that Grell was in earshot - it made her seem more believable. That was the first stroke of luck she'd had since ending up here.

_A happy accident._

"What's your full name, Blaire? My superiors would be highly interested in a human as gifted as you seem to be." He turned, briefly catching her eye. She noted the strange expression on his innocent-seeming face and a flash of fear instantly tore through her.

This version of Grell seemed oddly down to earth compared to his fictional counterpart. Almost worryingly so - if this was Grell, what would Will be like?

._..Perhaps not a happy accident._

Sebastian had already made a big deal out of what he believed her to be - a genuinely psychic human must have been a rarity - if such a thing even really existed. If a demon was willing to go against his masters better wishes to get his claws into her, what would the reapers do?

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

_Someone has it out for me I swear to God._

"Blaire Robbie Coleman." She finally answered, figuring she had little choice but to be truthful. It wouldn't matter if she lied - she would be easily found as long as she was connected to Ciel and Sebastian. And there was no way that fending for herself was an option.

She missed Grell stopping to take note of her name as she became aware of the approaching amber lights in the shadowy distance and as they approached, it became apparent that the light was emitting from a large window. She squinted, wondering why there were people staring at them from inside.

Ciel too, seemed to had noticed the line of people, for his footsteps quickened in pace.

Stood in a line, the silhouettes were completely motionless, all gazing at the approaching trio with vacant expressions.

It wasn't until they got closer that Blaire realised that the window was connected to yet another toy store - and this one resembled the one shown in the animation perfectly. She sighed - realising that they weren't that far off the entire time.

_Then that means..._

She stole another glance towards the people in the window - a feeling of unease settling in her stomach with the realisation that those were "dolls". Dolls that were once people, and they looked the part. Like a human taxidermy. Or an embalmed corpse.

_Are they still conscious? _She wondered, suddenly feeling quite sick.

As they approached the entranceway, Blaire was unable to take her eyes from the still figures. Their glassy eyes seemed to follow her - tracing her every movement. Their ghastly white faces didn't once twitch, though she couldn't help but feel as though she was unwelcome. Like some unseen force was compelling her to run as far away as possible.

Ciel glanced back at her, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "Is this the correct establishment?"

Without hesitation, she nodded.

"You weren't too far off," Grell observed with a thoughtful frown, pushing open the olive painted door with a foreboding creak.

Blaire swallowed, shoving her reservations to the side. All she could do was hope that Elizabeth was still savable - and that they even made it past the army of the dead.

* * *

_Still, the silence is soft_

_Where the sentences stop_

* * *

**Hornswoggle - to trick or deceive someone.**


	10. NOTE

**If anyone is interested I've uploaded an alternate timeline story for this - whereby Sebastian and Ciel end up in Blaire's (aka, our) world.**

**It's just a short thought experiment, let me know what you think.**

**Thanks.**

**A.**


	11. The Night Brings Violence

**The Night Brings Violence**

The door creaked shut behind the trio as Blaire desperately tried to calm her racing heart.

The store was decorated with olive green wallpaper and oak furnishings. The life-sized dolls peering out of the window were eerily still. Blaire kept her eyes on them, as if in anticipation of them suddenly attacking.

"Lizzie!" Ciel's boots clicked against the wooden floor as he rushed over to the counter.

Blaire watched on in unease as he gently picked up the lone doll from the shelf, examining it critically. There was no doubt it looked like Elizabeth with its frilly pink dress, bonnet and curly blonde hair. The only difference was: this doll fit in Ciel's palm – too tiny to be the real Lizzie.

"…is this her?" Ciel directed at Blaire, his one visible eye widened as if in concern.

"No that's not her…" She folded her arms across her chest. She couldn't help but internally note his hypocrisy. As if he hadn't come onto her but a few hours ago. She clicked her tongue and sighed.

A frigid draft made a shiver roll down her spine, and following the origin of the breeze, she quickly found the backdoor leading out into an open plot of land. What greeted her was a sight surely reserved for a gothic novel of the time. A mansion that was more reminiscent of a medieval castle, looked down upon by the crescent moon sat within a clear night sky. The trees which surrounded the gloomy structure cast ghastly shadows and despite herself, she stepped closer to the two males who had followed behind her.

"Lizzie must be somewhere in that mansion…" Ciel noted.

Blaire grimaced, knowing full well that Lizzie was in fact, in the tower behind the castle. However, they had to go through that house first – they needed to keep as close to the established events as possible. There was no telling what other changes Blaire's presence alone could cause – and that always spelt disaster. She had gotten remarkably lucky until now. She couldn't risk making any more changes to the timeline.

"Goodness. Not exactly the most welcoming of places, is it?" Came from Grell.

"Come along. We must be swift!" Ciel began marching forward.

Blaire reluctantly followed, having to swallow back the urge to run and hide somewhere safe. She scoffed to herself. _Safe_ was relative in this world, apparently.

As they approached the castle in silence – save for the sound of the wind disturbing the tree branches all around - Blaire couldn't help but tremble. Knowing exactly what was going to happen truly was a curse as much as it was a blessing.

Grell eagerly threw open the large oak doors, as if they weighed nothing. "Alright! Here we go!"

The two males paused upon peering into the darkened entranceway. Blaire shrunk back upon seeing the singular, silhouette of a human female stood on a wooden pedestal in the centre of the checked floor. She was stood as still as a doll, watching through unseeing eyes which happened to be peering right at them.

The entrance was chilly and poorly lit – with amber gas lamps kindled around the stone walls providing little in the way of visual aid.

As they approached the doll – footsteps echoing amidst the concrete, Blaire's discomfort only grew as she caught sight of her violet eyes – which seemed to be emitting a slight glow. Just like Ash's – the malevolent angel who she knew was responsible for all of this. She kept her distance, quivering behind the two males. Like all of the dolls in the shop window, its porcelain face was remarkably realistic – truly looking like a human corpse.

_That's because it is…_

She shuddered as the doll's eyes peered over at her, before she cast her own dark eyes to the ground, keeping behind Ciel.

"Hey, look. That ring's a lot like yours isn't it?" Grell pointed out.

Blaire peered down at the sparkling blue hope diamond placed on the living doll's thumb – then over to the matching ring on Ciel's gloved finger.

Subtly, Ciel removed the doll's ring and placed it in his inner coat pocket. He stared for a moment, brow furrowed – before his eyes widened in realisation. He and Blaire met eyes and she silently nodded, confirming what he already knew.

That doll was one of the missing girls who Ciel had been investigating.

Suddenly, the dolls glassy eyes seemed to hone in on him. A stiff arm flew for the Earl and a frigid hand wrapped itself around his throat. Ciel flinched, his mouth turning down and his brow furrowing as he tried to pry the doll's hand away, to no avail. "H-help me!" He snapped, his voice strained and a sheen of sweat breaking out across his forehead.

Blaire gasped, rushing to his side and trying to help him pull the hand from his neck. Her heart was pounding frantically against her chest – she cursed herself as she had completely forgotten that would happen. However, the doll's grip was just too tight – and when its other hand moved to shove Blaire away, she let out a sound of alarm as she landed on the cold tiles away from the struggling Earl.

"Grell, do something!" She shrieked. If Ciel died, it would surely spell the end for her as well.

A heavy object then slammed into the back of the doll's head, causing her to collapse to the ground with a thud and take Ciel with her. "I'll snip her into bits with my death scythe!" The reaper exclaimed.

The two brunettes looked up to see Grell stood over the human doll, a manic grin on his ivory face and two pairs of red scissors in his hands.

_Wasn't he on the chandelier in the anime? _Blaire pondered, before shaking her head.

"Aren't those just scissors?" Came from Ciel.

"What do you want me to do, Will took away my personally modified death scythe!" Lamented Grell.

Blaire only watched as the conversation unfolded – in person. She couldn't help but smirk.

_I don't think I'll ever get used to this._

When Grell dived forward to cut into the doll-human hybrid, Blaire shrieked. "Stop! I think that's a real person!" At the same time, Ciel yelled in perfect unison:

"Wait! She isn't actually a doll!"

But it was too late, as her throat had already been slit and grotesque, blood-soaked stuffing had begun to ooze out.

Blaire gagged, averting her gaze. "Now that's just disgusting…" She muttered.

Ciel, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered at all. Having stood up, he wandered over, leaning down to inspect the corpse.

The woman who was still sat on the floor – to her embarrassment, was finding it quite difficult to stand on her own. She cleared her throat. "Little help here?"

The Earl rolled his eyes, reluctantly coming to offer his hand. "How unseemly."

"Oh, sorry I'll just let you be strangled next time." She snarked.

All three then paused as they heard disjointed singing coming from the other side of the door. All Blaire was able to make out was the unnervingly familiar tune – causing her to back away slightly.

The door then creaked open to reveal the silhouette of none other than Drossel Keinz, one gloved hand carrying a golden candelabra which cast his corpse-like face in enigmatic shadows. He walked with slow, rigid movements and had the same glowing purple eyes as every other doll. His paperwhite, waxy skin was like that of an embalmed corpse and his unruly ginger was reminiscent of a ragdoll. When he spoke, he did so with a wavering, though monotonous voice and it almost sounded as though he was in pain. Altogether, he was a peculiar figure.

"What a useless doll. She was an utter failure. So then I thought to myself, in order to succeed I must make them considerably stronger than this." He raised his hand in a dramatic gesture and began to sing "Build it up with iron and steel, iron and steel…"

Ciel grit his teeth as more dolls descended upon them from the shadows, marching in sync like an army – quickly dwarfing Keinz, who disappeared out of the doorway and further into the mansion.

The three moved closer together, each wearing equally perturbed expressions as they were encircled by a sea of vacant expressions. Their faces were like death itself which juxtaposed their otherwise dainty outfits and it was only then that Blaire noticed the pungent odour of death in the air.

Grell brandished his scissors in warning – however, even he knew that there were too many to reasonably manage.

A sudden realisation dawned on Blaire – something that she remembered from the show. Recalling how Sebastian had dealt with them, she began to sing as loud as she could muster: "Iron and steel will bend and bow, bend and bow, iron and steel will bend and bow, My fair lady…"

Everyone came to a still, the two males gazed at her in surprise as the dolls stopped marching and began to sway from side to side, their frilly skirts and bonnets swaying with them.

Taking the opportunity, Grell stepped forward and began haphazardly chopping into their necks, red-stained stuffing pouring onto the floor like thick sludge.

Ciel turned to stare down at the woman, who continued to sing despite her quivering voice. "How did you…"

"They seemed to be controlled by the singing." She remarked, copying Sebastian's line and covering her mouth to let out a yawn. The two restless hours of sleep were catching up to her. She was aching all over and her eyelids felt increasingly heavy.

The Earl glanced back at Grell, who was merrily chopping away. "I'm going to go after that Keinz fellow. You stay with Grell."

She nodded, watching as he ran through the double doors after the corpse-like ragdoll.

It only took about five minutes for Grell to have completely finished off everyone. She only stood and stared, before she knew it, she was surrounded by corpses and crimson red sludge.

_The same colour as Sebastian's eyes… _

"Are you alright?"

She jumped, turning to find Grell stood behind her, trying to clean off his scissors. "Y…yeah." She hadn't noticed that she had been staring at – what she guessed was blood. Clearing her throat, she drew her eyes away from the floor.

"You seem quite pale."

"I don't feel too great. Can we go outside for a bit?" She tried.

"Perhaps we should follow after Ciel…" he suggested.

Her eyes widened. If they did, they would encounter Sebastian sooner than she was ready to. No, they had to get to the tower where Lizzie was being kept. She knew that Ciel and his butler should make their way there eventually. "Actually, I… I know Lizzie isn't here."

Green eyes darkened and an uncharacteristically serious expression was now on his face. "Oh? And you just let us saunter on in here for nothing, did you? Some fortune teller you are."

"I'm trying to keep things right! We were supposed to come here. What happened to all of those missing girls would still be a mystery if we hadn't!" She let out a breath. She thought it would be best if she left out the part about her unintentionally interfering with events. When word of her meddling got back to the Reapers Society she would be in even more of a mess than she currently was.

"Well, where is she then?"

"The tower – just through the woods. We should go now and wait for Ciel and uh…Sebastian too I suppose."

That seemed to win him over. "Bassy, you say? He'll be there too?" He bristled, intrigue dancing behind his red spectacles.

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes when she was grabbed by the wrist and tugged forward, out of the castle and into the woods.

As she stumbled forward, all she could think about was her bed.

* * *

Sebastian placed the young Earl on the darkened bridge following their escape from the castle. "There we are. You're safe."

Mustering all of the strength he could, Ciel drew back his hand and struck the demon hard across the face. To his annoyance, he barely reacted. "What about Lizzie!" He bellowed. "She's still in there! Saving Lizzie is our first priority!"

Sebastian's red eyes widened, before he interrupted his masters fuming, his voice perfectly calm. "If the order negates the contract, I cannot obey it. Your first priority is taking orders from the queen. Similarly, my first priority is your life." There was a pause, where Ciel gazed over the bridge and into the still waters. The demon went on: "I've devoted myself to your service and protection. It's been more than two years now. I can't very well let someone steal you away after all this time now, can I?" Though the demon was smiling, his pupils were narrowed into serpent-like slits and his irises adopted an otherworldly glow – in warning.

Not one for letting his servants intimidate him, Ciel only smirked and produced the second hope diamond from his inner pocket, slipping it on his thumb.

"Master?"

"Apparently the hope piece is what marks the masters next target. And I have two. Protecting me will be a difficult task." He said smugly.

His demon responded in kind, his own smirk ghosting his gaunt features. "I'm not afraid of hard work. Although… things should be easier with our new asset… how has she been behaving herself?"

The earl rose an eyebrow. "Fairly well… She got me to the right place eventually. Actually, she did the same thing as you, now that I think about it."

Sebastian tilted his head to the side. "Oh?"

"Singing to defeat the dolls. It was peculiar… as if she just...knew what to do." The earl cast his mind back, reluctantly admitting to himself that yes, she was quite useful to have on hand.

"And where is she now?" Came from Sebastian.

Ciel shrugged. "I left her with Grell."

A displeased frown came upon the demon's face. "Grell? Does he know what she is?"

"Yes. He took note of her name as well." The earl stopped when he looked at Sebastian's face. His eyes were narrowed in irritation, once again adopting their chilling fuchsia hue.

Ciel scoffed. "What? Does it matter?"

A sudden breeze swirled around them, and Sebastian caught the woman in question's familiar scent – as well as the ginger reaper's. "I can sense where they are. Shall we?"

Sighing, the earl nodded and followed after his demon butler.

* * *

"You both made it then?" Blaire and Grell turned to see the familiar figures coming across the stone bridge.

The two were by the door to the tower – with Blaire sat on the wall with her chin resting in her palm.

"This one insisted we come here. Practically dragged me." Grell rolled his eyes.

"I did not!" Blaire exclaimed from where she was sat. "You only came because I said Sebastian would show up!"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her and the red-haired reaper, before sniffing the air and striding towards them. Placing himself between the seer and the reaper, he remarked: "That door has been sealed with unnatural power."

Blaire groaned inwardly. "I knew we needed Pluto..." She whispered, wishing to kick herself for all the interference she had caused.

Sebastian turned to her. "Indeed. A demon hound is precisely what we need."

Ciel clenches his fist. "So that means we cannot proceed any further?"

"Can't you just break it down?" Blaire groaned.

"You're a very violent young woman." Mused Grell.

"I'm serious! We can't open it but what about smashing it?"

Sebastian raised a hand to his chin. "Breaking the door is impossible. The wall on the other hand…"

"Well do it then, will you!" Snapped Ciel.

"Very good, my Lord." And with that, the butler charged forward. Blaire watched with a grimace as, with strength which simply shouldn't have been possible – the concrete wall was reduced to rubble via his bare hands. She shuddered as she was reminded of the brute strength hidden within such a lanky frame.

Grell seemed utterly enamoured by the demon's display of strength, his green eyes glazing over as he watched.

Blaire rolled her eyes.

"Come along." Sebastian offered his hand to the young Earl, aiding him over the mess which had subsequently been created. He was stood on the edge of the bridge, the hole in the wall being situated above nothing but the icy water.

When Ciel was safely inside, he turned to Blaire and held out his hand expectantly. However, she refused to budge from her seat on the bridge. She stared at him through hooded eyes, her cheek still rested on the palm of her hand. "I'd rather wait here."

"Certainly not. The young master told me all about your little stunt with the dolls. You may come in handy."

"Look, my leg is killing me and I just need to sleep. I won't move from this spot."

"Just let the wench stay out here, Bassy. What harm could that do?" Grell sauntered passed, making his way into the hole in the wall.

The demon ignored him, narrowing his eyes at the infuriating woman - before Ciel poked his head out of the building. "What's the holdup?!" He snapped.

"I'm staying here. Can you get your butler to leave me alone for five fucking minutes?" She said, returning Sebastian's glare.

"We don't have time for dawdling. Sebastian, carry her. We might need her."

"Don't you come near me!" She snapped, struggling to stand and sending the demon a scowl in warning. She didn't want him anywhere near her – he could easily crush her if he wanted to, and she was all too aware of that fact.

The demon didn't care to listen to her protests, easily slinging her over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. He smirked in the satisfaction that Ciel finally seemed to understand just how much of an asset she was.

As she was carried into the tower and up the – seemingly infinite, spiralling staircase she hammered her fists down on the butler's back as hard as she, him out. However, her arms were so weak and fatigued, she had to give in and let herself be carried in the dark.

She shut her eyes, the speed at which the demon was sprinting upstairs made her feel quite sick.

She had to struggle to remain upright when she was abruptly placed back on her feet and within an instant, she was being pushed into what she could only describe as some kind of dungeon.

The brick walls were cast in sinister orange lighting and the cold seemed to blow right through from outside. Clutter was everywhere, including the ramshackle floor. Blaire tensed, wrapping her arms around herself as the feeling of nausea continued to build within her. The room reminded her of the same place she'd had her first-ever seizure.

She unconsciously took a step away from Sebastian.

Ciel's eyes quickly scanned their surroundings, locking on the head of blonde curls sat slumped over on a wooden chair in the darkened corner. "Lizzie!" He rushed over and crouched down before her, taking her head into his hands in an unnatural display of concern.

Blaire watched with wide eyes, her top lip curling in disgust. "…that's…Lizzie…?"

Sebastian glanced at her. "Of course. Didn't you know already?"

Her eyes gazed over her tiny form. She looked _young_. Her round face was still and a pale shade of porcelain. Freckles dotted her full cheeks and her full lips reminded Blaire of a doll.

_Ironic..._

"Lizzie…?" Ciel whispered, giving a gentle shake.

The younger girl remained still. "Lizzie!" His gentle shaking became more frantic when she didn't move, which only made her slump forward. Limp and seemingly lifeless.

"Oh my, it looks like we're too late." Grell placed a gloved hand to his hip, expression unsympathetic.

"We shouldn't be…" Blaire responded.

Encouraged by Blaire's words, Ciel continued to shake her "Wake up…Lizzie, wake up! Lizzie!"

Eventually, her dull green eyes peered open and locked onto Ciel, her pale face remaining ever vacant.

Ciel sighed in relief. "Lizzie… you're okay."

"That's the ring…" She muttered; her voice just as high pitched as it was in the animation – though it only made Blaire ponder how old she was even more. Seeing Ciel – a nearly grown man fawn over, essentially a child, in such a way made Blaire incredibly uncomfortable.

A ghost of a smile befell Elizabeth's ghastly white, sunken in face. Though it didn't reach her eyes. "So, did you like it? That makes me happy…so happy."

_She's a __**child**__! _Blaire screamed internally.

"It's just as Blaire said. That was her gift for you." Sebastian remarked.

"How foolish… she didn't have to." The Earl returned.

Suddenly, as if pulled upon by some unseen force, Lizzie's arms rose up and to the side, a familiar monotone voice sounding from above them. "Then why did she?"

And with that, the little girl was tugged up into the air. Tears filled her eyes as an increasingly troubled expression brought her brows together in a pinch.

Keinz's disembodied voice continued. "And why is her body moving without her control?"

Everyone except Blaire glanced around furiously as a heavy axe flew towards Elizabeth – who easily caught it in her hands.

"And why… why is she going to hurt the one who she loves most in the world?"

Blaire began to back out of the room, knowing what was coming and that she would only get in the way. She knew that Sebastian could take care of this – and she really needed to sit down.

She just caught sight of Lizzie raising the axe and preparing to strike at Ciel, before she slammed the door shut as she heard Elizabeth's desperate screeching: "No!"

Tears streamed down Blaire's face as she heard the commotion from inside of the room. She slid down the stone wall, relishing in the coolness it provided. Burying her face in her hands and beginning to audibly sob as Lizzie cried out again – followed by Ciel's shouting and tumultuous crashing.

_They're just kids! She's just a little kid! _– Was the last coherent thought she had before her body finally gave in to its exhaustion and the darkness stole over her.

When she next awoke, all she could see was the pale twilight sky. A cool wind brushed against her face as quiet murmurs phased in and out of earshot and black dots orbited her vision. It felt as though she was floating through the air.

Blinking, she turned her head to the side, seeing Ciel carrying an unconscious Elizabeth.

Catching Ciel's eye, she allowed herself a small smile.

"She's alright…" She whispered, before her eyes closed once more, completely oblivious to the crimson gaze seated on her unconscious form.

"So, what do you think, young master? Can we keep her?" He sounded like a child asking to keep a stray cat.

Equally, Ciel's response was akin to the parent of said child. "Fine. But you will be responsible for her."

* * *

_The colours will all fade_

_Flooded forests and undergrowth_


End file.
